IJ  - 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


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-Fi^j  989   ^h  m  A  M     M  (D)  'j?  T  ffi  ^1  . 


LIFE 


OF 


MRS.    SARAH   NORTON 


AN 


|llustr;iti0n  at  |lnirticiil  littg. 


BY 


SAMUEL  D.  BALDWIN". 


-»•»- 


PUBLISHED   BY   J.   B.   M'FERRIN,    AGENT, 

rOH  TUB   M£TU0»I8T   Kl'ISCOl'AL   CIIUUCU,    SOUTH. 

18  5  8. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1858,  by 

J.  B.  M'FERRIX, 

In  the  District  Court  of  tlie  United  States  for  the  Middle  District  of  Tennessee. 


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STEREOTYPED  AND  PRINTED  BY  A.  A.    STITT.    SOUTHERN   MICTHODIST 
PUBLISHING   HOUSE,    NASHVILLE,    TENN. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   I.  PAQB 

INTRODUCTION EARLY   LIFE    OF    MRS.  NORTON EARLY    MExfeoD- 

ISTS — REASONS    FOR    BEING    A    METHODIST — CHURCH     GOVERN- 
MENT   MILITARY    IN     STRUCTURE BAPTISM    BY    TOURING THH 

V»  lord's  SUPPER  AND  HER    MEDITATIONS  AND  HOPES FASTING  : 

^^         ITS    USES    AND    PHILOSOPHY — CLASS-MEETINGS T 

CO 

^  CHAPTER  II. 

55    PRAYER — PKAYER-MEBTINGS — PUBLIC  WORSHIP — SINGING 84 

CO 

"^  CHAPTER   III. 

^      BENEFICENCE — SUPPORT  OF  THE    MINISTRY — VISITLNQ  THE  SICK — 

^  ATTENTION  TO  YOUNG  PREACHERS 63 

m 

g  CHAPTER   IV. 

LIBERALITY    OF    8ENT13IENT CAMP-MBETINQS — BAPTISM — DJVEB- 

8I0N8 60 

3  CHAPTER   V. 

^       CO.VVICTION  —  REMARKABLE       INSTANCE  —  INSTRUCTIONS      TO     A 

O  MOURNER  —  FAITH  —  RELIGION 94 

CO 

^  CHAPTER   VI. 

3        CONVERSATION  WITH  A  NEW-LIGHT — MKTIIODIST  USAfJES.   „ 110 

< 

CHAPTER   VII. 

EFFORTS    #0R    TIIK    CONVER.SION    OF    OTIIKRS — LETTER    TO    E.   H. 

DEVOTION  TO  HER    CHURCH  —  DEATH    OF  A  HINNEU — PARTIES  OF 


(lii) 

447966 


IV  CONTENTS. 

TAGE 

PLEASURE CONFERENCE WOMAN'S    SrHERE    TOO    NARROW 

CONVERSION  OF  MAJOR  THRASHLEY OF  m'ILVAINE 124 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

BASCOM ROSS — DEATH-SCENE 141 

CHAPTER   IX. 

MAFFIT CORRESPONDENTS MR.  NORTON IGO 

CHAPTER   X. 

PERSONAL    APPEARANCE MENTAL   POWERS ACCOMPLISHMENTS — • 

HOME  CIRCLE SERVANTS 171 

CHAPTER   XI. 

LAST  ILLNESS  AND  DEATH 177 


LIFE  OF  MRS.  NORTON. 


LIFE  OF  MRS.  SARAH  NORTON. 


CHAPTER  I. 

INTRODUCTION — EARLY    LIFE    OF    MRS.  NORTON EARLY    METHODISTS 

REASONS  FOR  BEING  A  METHODIST CHURCH  GOVERNMENT  MILITARY 

IN    STRUCTrtlE — BAPTISM    BY    POURING THE     LORD's     SUPPER    AND 

HER    MEDITATIONS    AND    HOPES FASTING  :    ITS     USES    AND    PHILOSO- 
PHY  CLASS-MEETINGS. 

Earth  is  not  our  home.  ,  We  are  journeying  to 
a  land  of  angels.  The  Christian  will  soon  be  there. 
How  blest  that  country!  how  charming  its  in- 
habitants! Could  we  unveil  their  glories,  our  pil- 
grimage would  lose  its  sorrow^s  in  the  bloonung 
prospect,  and  our  weary  feet  flame  with  ardor  to 
scale  the  heights  before  us. 

**  That  holy  -world  is  ever  bright 

With  a  pure  radiance  all  its  own  ; 
And  streams  of  uncreated  light 

Flow  round  it  from  the  eternal  throne. 
There  forms  that  mortals  may  not  see, 

Too  glorious  for  the  eye  to  trace, 
And  clad  in  peerless  majesty, 

Move  witli  unutterable  grace." 

To  know  when  first  Omnipotence  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  eternal  realms,  when  wings  of  light  first 

(7) 


8  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

shook  the  heavenly  hills  and  marshalled  all  the 
morning  stars  from  night,  would  be  a  blissful  pri- 
vilege. And  could  we  read  the  biography  of  a 
seraph,  could  we  trace  his  early  hours  and  prime, 
and  his  vicissitudes  from  his  birth  down  eternity's 
highway,  and  view  in  full  his  person,  heart,  and 
history,  our  interest  would  grow  with  every  page, 
and  fadeless  glory  would  remain  upon  the  fasci- 
nated memory.  But  there  will  come  a  period  in 
the  Christian's  history  when  his  childhood  and  his 
earthly  years  will  swell  in  interest  beyond  the 
story  of  the  firstborn  sons  of  light.  An  age  will 
yet  arrive  when  Adam  and  his  latest  son  will  seem 
the  creatures  of  a  single  hour;  when  saints  and 
angels  will  appear  as  offspring  of  the  self-same  day. 
The  stars,  though  larger  than  ten  thousand  globes 
like  ours,  by  distance  are  but  points  of  light : 
their  diverse  magnitudes  are  indiscriminately  lost 
through  boundless  distance.  Creatures  though 
born  apart  through  the  extremes  of  twice  ten 
thousand  cycles  of  the  stars,  will,  at  the  end  of 
cycles  yet  beyond,  all  sink  to  the  diameter  of  a 
sinde  moment.  Then  saints  and  angels  will  be 
of  the  same  comparative  age.  Then  will  the  Chris- 
tian fill  a  sublimer  sphere  than  they  who  never 
"  fought  to  win  the  prize,  nor  sailed  through  bloody 
seas." 

A  Christian  is  the  strangest  character  in  the 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  9 

niii verse — an  anomaly  in  the  empire  of  Divinity. 
The  strongest  interests  centre  in  him,  and  the 
most  awfnl  events  cluster  around  him.  He  is 
nearer  to  God  than  the  seraphs  ;  he  is  the  only  re- 
deemed creature ;  the  only  one  whose  nature  God 
has  assumed ;  the  only  one  for  whom  God's  only 
Son  was  ever  sacrificed.  By  the  stupid  world 
around  him  he  may  be  regarded  with  pity  as  de- 
luded and  visionary ;  but  though  undistinguished 
from  men  by  any  external  insignia,  he  yet  has 
God  for  his  father,  and  heaven  for  his  home ;  and 
his  present  humility  will  splendidly  heighten  the 
glory  that  shall  be  revealed  in  him  when  his  con- 
flicts are  ended.  The  biography  of  the  Christian's 
future  will  be  the  more  striking  by  antithesis  with 
his  past :  the  heavenly  will  be  the  brighter  from 
the  obscurity  of  the  earthly.  However  less  bril- 
liant than  those  of  military  chieftains,  his  heroism 
and  conquests  will  yet  shine  with  a  lustre  for  ever 
augmenting,  while  the  memory  of  man's  destroyers 
shall  dissolve  like  smoke  from  a  conflagration.  The 
fellow-heirs  of  the  same  destiny  are  mutual  objects 
of  affection  and  affiliation,  of  admiration  and  of  ex- 
ample. AVhatever  may  be  the  faults  or  the  disas- 
ters that  attach  to  the  probationer,  the  veil  of  char- 
ity is  always  ready  to  cover  the  one,  and  the  heart 
of  sympatliy  to  commiserate  the  other.  ^ 
Personally,  Christians  may  be  strangers;   but 


10  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

they  are  yet  kindred  by  ties  the  most  endearing. 
They  may  contend  under  diverse  local  standards, 
but  they  are  militant  under  the  same  Captain; 
they  may  be  called  by  various  tribal  names,  but 
they  speak  alike  the  language  of  the  same  Canaan. 
Filling  different  stations  of  life ;  abiding  in  the  pa- 
lace or  in  the  cottage ;  bereft  of  education  or  pol- 
ished by  learning ;  moving  in  the  circles  of  fashion 
or  among  the  walks  of  the  lowly ;  tempted  by  the 
enchantments  of  riches  or  the  sorcery  of  poverty — 
they  ahke  love  one  another — labor  for  one  des- 
tiny— contend  for  the  same  mastery,  and,  having 
overcome,  they  alike  "  ascribe  their  conquests  to 
the  Lamb,  their  triumphs  to  his  death."  The  life 
of  all  such  is  worthy  of  careful  record,  and  all  are 
written  in  the  Book  of  Life.  But  as  one  star  dif- 
fers from  another  in  glory,  and  as  in  various  skies 
the  larger  ones  are  the  more  perspicuous  guides  to 
the  benighted  Avanderer,  so  there  are  Christians 
whose  light  has  been  of  the  first  magnitude  in  vari- 
ous ranks  of  life,  whose  memory  should  be  stereo- 
typed upon  the  chart  of  the  Christian  pilgrimage, 
that  others  on  the  wastes  of  time  and  sin  may  fol- 
low them  to  Bethlehem,  to  Calvary,  and  heaven. 
Among  such  luminaries  we  mention  one,  no  more 
of  earth,  to  whose  calm  and  unobtrusive  light  and 
life  we  kindly  ask  an  hour's  devotion.  We  present 
no  glarmg  character ;  no  model  of  eccentricity ;  no 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  11 

Christian  poet,  orator,  or  prodigy ;  but  a  faithful, 
practical  exemplar  of  modest,  womanly  piety,  in 
the  person  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Norton. 

Biography  is  the  most  difficult  of  compositions 
to  execute  with  satisfaction  to  the  living  or  jus- 
tice to  the  dead ;  and  with  a  pen  unskilled  in  por- 
traiture, we  fear  to  write ;  but  love  constrains,  and 
we  proceed. 

j\[rs.  Sarah  Norton  was  born  in  York  county, 
Pennsylvania,  September  2,  1790 :  her  maiden 
name  was  Sarah  Low.  While  a  child  she  lost  her 
father,  and  when  eight  years  old  her  mother  re- 
moved to  Williamsport,  in  Lycoming  county,  and 
there  died,  leaving  Sarah  an  orphan  at  the  age  of 
nine  years.  She  then  returned  to  York,  and  there, 
in  1807,  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mr.  John  Nor- 
ton, also  of  Pennsylvania,  but  a  resident  of  Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

During  her  early  orphanage  she  resided  w^ith 
Mr.  Spangler,  and  also  with  Mr.  Luy.  The  house 
of  the  latter  was  "  a  preacher's  home  :"  here  Bishop 
Asbury  made  his  home,  as  also  did  Bishop  Roberts, 
at  that  time  the  circuit  preacher.  With  these  and 
others  she  was  familiarly  acquainted  in  her  girl- 
hood. 

In  1812  they  removed  to  Lexington,  Ky., 
whore  they  resid(id  till  her  death.  She  made  a 
profession  of  religion  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  and 


12  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

uniting  with  the  Methodist  Church  in  1803,  her 
life  was  a  practical  ilkistration  of  the  inspiring  na- 
ture of  its  doctrines  and  usages. 

There  are  resistless  (or  natural)  and  moral  forces 
in  the  universe  which  shape  our  destiny.  Among 
these  our  parentage,  our  nativity,  and  our  educa- 
tion abidingly  impress  our  character  and  our  course 
of  life.  They  do  not,  indeed,  necessitate  salvation, 
nor  positively  interfere  with  our  choice  of  life  and 
death ;  but  they  ordinarily  predispose  to  the  ways 
of  virtue,  or  prejudice  us  against  those  of  piety. 
We  may  naturally  inherit  superiority  of  attributes, 
but  association  and  cultivation  develop  them  in  ac- 
cordance with  a  noble  or  ignoble  standard  of  taste. 
The  mariner,  in  perpetual  conflict  with  nature,  is 
proverbially  hberal;  and  the  fire  and  sweetness 
of  the  poet  and  orator  are  but  the  lightning  and  the 
bloom  that  sparkled  or  budded  in  the  versatile 
thoughts  of  childhood  amid  inspiring  scenery.  It 
is  natural  for  the  orphan  child  to  think  intensely 
of  heaven.  It  only  knew  parental  tenderness  as 
the  stormy  day  often  knows  the  rosy  hues  and  the 
brilhant  sunhght  of  the  morning.  It  remembers 
its  early  days  as  earth  does  Eden ;  it  dwells  upon 
them  as  on  the  dissipated  oasis  of  some  celestial 
dream,  and  thinks  of  living  ones  hard  by  the 
throne  of  love  that  gave  it  life,  and  whose  de- 
parture was  but  a  loving  invitation  to  follow. 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  13 

The  early  days  of  Miss  Low,  after  she  was  ca- 
pable of  intelligent  apprehension  of  truth,  were 
spent  amid  the  wilds  of  Lycoming,  and  the  ani- 
mated grandeur  and  hcauty  along  the  Susque- 
hanna. Here  her  rambles  were  prolonged  and 
numerous.  Threading  streamlets  to  their  foun- 
tains ;  scaling  mountain-sides  and  clambering  over 
rocks ;  from  dizzy  heights  survejdng  landscapes 
swimming  in  sublimity;  traversing  the  country 
with  friends,  or  at  school  among  sequestered  shades, 
she  developed  a  passion  for  the  works  of  nature  so 
strong  as  to  imbue  her  character  with  an  abiding 
})oetry.  Her  relish  for  the  beautiful  was  manifest 
in  the  grounds  around  her  residence,  adorned  with 
trees  and  shrubbery  planted  by  her  hands,  and 
nourished  by  her  untiring  care.  She  recognized 
God  in  the  trees  and  flowers,  and  she  loved  them 
for  suggesting  his  nearness  and  his  love.  After 
about  forty  years'  absence  from  the  haunts  of  her 
childhood  she  revisited  them  with  all  her  first  af- 
fection, and  from  their  mountains  gazed  upon  them 
all  again,  and  casting  a  wistful  eye  to  scenes  be- 
yond the  flood,  bade  them  a  fond  farewell. 

The  loss  of  her  father  she  was  too  young  to  feel; 
but  that  of  *her  mother  seems  to  have  been  the 
most  poignant  of  afllictions.  Death  is  always  ter- 
rible. To  the  dying  it  may,  through  Christ,  be 
gain ;  but  to  the  survivors  it  is  often  crushing.  When 


14  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

chilJrcn  linger  around  the  clying-pilloAV  of  a  mo- 
ther, and  pour  their  tears  like  rain  and  cannot  be 
comforted,  then  we  feel  that  death  is  indeed  an 
enemy. 

The  above  view  of  death  was  fully  entertained 
by  Miss  Low.  Forty  years  after  her  mother's 
death  its  poignancy  was  still  fresh  in  her  memor}^, 
and  in  comforting  a  bereaved  friend  she  writes  the 
following  :  "  0  what  millions  mourn  o'er  blighted 
hopes  and  departed  joys  !  It  must  be  that  an  all- 
wise  God,  who  is  too  good  and  kind  to  do  wrong, 
permits  these  things,  to  show  us  that  this  is  not 
our  rest.  Alas  !  we  need  line  upon  line  and  pre- 
cept upon  precept,  ere  we  learn  to  appreciate  such 
an  important  truth.  Happy  for  those  who  early 
seek  to  build  above  the  stars.  Happy  the}^  who, 
called  away  in  Christ,  escape  earth's  sorrows  and 
snares.  I  know,  through  early  experience,  that 
the  dead  survive,  and  ^  the  survivo}"  dies  J  0  that 
I  could  drop  a  word  that  would  impart  some  com- 
fort to  your  wounded  and  bleeding  heart !  If  sym- 
pathy can  assuage,  you  have  it  from  me." 

And  so,  when  Miss  Low  was  called,  in  her  help- 
less years,  with  life  all  dark  before  her,  to  watch, 
tearfully,  in  her  mother's  room,  to  Lly  her  face 
upon  her  bosom  and  sob  her  heart  away,  to  receive 
the  last  caress  and  the  last  words  of  counsel,  her 
sense  of  utter  lonehness  and  friendlessness  carried 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  15 

the  last  words  of  kindness  home  to  her  heart  with 
a  power  that  brought  her  responsive  promise  to 
early  fruition.  "  Sarah,  my  child,  be  good ;  read 
your  Bible ;  pray  to  God ;  seek  religion ;  meet 
your  mother  in  heaven.  There  is  no  friend  like 
a  mother,  my  child,  but  God;  make  him  your* 
friend,  and  all  will  be  well." 

How  important  to  set  a  pious  example  before 
children  !  How  deep  the  memory  of  a  mother's  les- 
sons of  love  sinks  into  the  soul  of  the  child  long, 
long  after  the  lips  that  uttered  them  are  sealed  in 
the  silence  of  the  dust ! 

The  tones  of  her  voice,  like  the  music  of  joys, 
Have  a  mystical  thrill  that  will  make  the  heart  feel, 

Whenever  they  fall  on  the  ear. 
Like  the  silvery  chime  of  some  dear  olden  time. 
The  words  of  her  prayer  linger  sweet  on  the  air, 

In  the  musical  distance  afar. 

In  about  two  years  after  her  mother's  death 
Miss  Low  professed  religion,  under  the  ministry 
of  Rev,  Itobert  Roberts,  (afterwards  Bishop,)  and 
joined  the  Church  in  Carlisle  circuit,  Baltimore 
Conference.  At  that  time  the  number  of  Method- 
ists in  America  was  only  about  one  huifdred  and 
twenty  thousand,  and  they  were  esteemed  as  an 
inferior  grade  of  people — a  fiery,  fanatical  class  of 
deceivers.  Did  Christians  live  up  to  the  gospel 
requirements,  their  indomitable  ardor  would  lead 
the  world  to  brand  them  with  lunacy ;  and  it  is 


16  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

not  wonderful  that  the  Methodists,  beheving  that 
men  are  in  danger  of  hell  and  destruction,  and 
preaching  and  laboring  as  if  they  practically  be- 
lieved their  creed,  should  be  accounted  as  demented 
by  practical  or  religious  atheism.  The  odium  in 
•which  they  were  held  was  a  powerful  preventive 
of  their  success  among  some  classes  of  people ;  and 
it  has  been  considered  remarkable  by  many  that 
such  a  lady  as  Miss  Low  became,  should  have  en- 
rolled herself  among  their  numbers;  or  that,  having 
united  with  them,  she  should  not  have  withdrawn 
after  a  few  years  of  practical  experience  of  their 
follies.  The  reasons  why  she  became  a  Methodist, 
and  remained  one,  are  easily  stated. 

The  leading  desire  of  her  heart  was  to  get  to 
heaven.  This  desire,  let  it  be  repeated,  was  the 
leading  motive  of  her  life.  It  v/as  not  an  idle  wish, 
or  faint  hope,  or  fanatical  behef — an  expectation 
of  an  end  without  the  use  of  the  means  ;  but  it  was 
an  object  to  which  all  things  else  were  subservient — 
it  was  the  supreme  thought  controUing  her  exist- 
ence. She  was  inflexible  in  her  purpose — no 
temptation  could  prompt  her  to  fickleness.  The 
capital  city  of  God's  habitation  was  the  haven  she 
proposed  to  attain ;  and  no  sea,  however  smooth, 
no  shores,  however  pleasant,  could  divert  her  set- 
tled resolve  to  see  the  King  in  his  beauty,  and  be- 
hold the  land  that  is  afar.     Nature  may  do  much 


LIFE     OF     MP.  S.    NORTON.  17 

in  conferring  decision  of  character,  and  may  have 
done  much  for  her ;  but  grace  must  perfect  Avhat 
is  commendable  in  nature,  and  be  the  crown  of  our 
rejoicing.  In  casting  around  for  companions  earn- 
estly ins})ired  with  a  purpose  like  her  own,  she 
found  the  Methodists  greatly  intent  on  a  crown  of 
glor}".  Their  conversation  was  of  heaven ;  their 
social  meetings  were  absorbed  with  the  one  idea 
of  triumph  over  death  through  Christ  the  Lord ; 
their  preaching  was  fervid,  pathetic,  and  horta- 
tive; their  music  was  the  spirited  melody  of  the 
heart ;  they  invited  others  to  Christ,  and  led  the 
way  ;  they  proclaimed  mercy  free,  in  opposition  to 
a  limited  atonement;  they  used  the  scriptural  ap- 
pellatives of  brother  and  sister  with  the  warmth 
of  Christian  aifection  :  persecuted  and  detested, 
the  world  yet  said,  "  Behold  how  these  love  one 
another !"  Instant  in  prayer,  in  journeyings  for 
the  cross,  and  "  in  labors  more  abundant,"  "  they 
obtained  the  good  report  of  pilgrims  and  strangers 
on  the  earth,  looking  for  a  city  which  hath  founda- 
tions, and  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God.''  With 
a  Church  thus  earnest,  humble,  and  imbued  with 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  this  earnest  girl  felt  that  she 
had  suitable  company  to  the  kingdom  of  tlie  meek 
and  the  lowly.  She  deemed  the  reproach  of  Christ, 
^vith  such  a  i)eo[)lc,  a  greater  honor  than  all  the 
respectability  of  Egypt — "  for  she  had  respect  to 


18  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

the  recompense  of  reward."  Some  unite  with 
churches  that  are  fashionable ;  some  from  regard 
to  municipal  regulations ;  some  because  of  a  loose 
discipline  or  easy  laws  ;  some  on  account  of  sacra- 
ments, or  predestination,  or  mode  of  baptism  ;  and 
others  at  the  instance  of  proselyting  busybodies  in 
other  men's  matters ;  but  Mrs.  Norton  joined  the 
Methodists  as  the  best  means  of  getting  to  glory ; 
as  the  surest  method  of  obtaining  "  an  abundant 
entrance  into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 

With  our  Church  polity  she  was  thoroughly  con- 
versant, and  Bishop  Asbury  was  one  of  the  coun- 
sellors of  her  youth.  In  her  sixteenth  year,  we 
find  a  catalogue  of  all  the  preachers  in  her  posses- 
sion, presented  to  her  by  Bishop  Asbury.  The 
organization  of  our  Church  is  in  theory  and  form 
purely  military.  It  is  intended  for  both  conquest 
and  possession  until  the  warfjire  is  ended  and  the 
Captain  of  our  salvation  comes,  as  a  king,  to  dis- 
pense with  armies  and  establish  the  Church  as  a 
settled  kingdom.  The  analogy  of  our  Church  to 
the  army  of  our  country  is  remarkably  striking. 
The  army  is  divided  into  large  sections,  termed 
divisions;  these  are  again  divided  into  brigades ; 
brigades  are  subdivided  into  regiments,  haitalions,  or 
squadrons;  and  these  into  companies;  and  these 
into  platoons.     Over  the  whole  army,  navy,  and 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  10 

militia,  the  president  is  commander-in-chief.  Over 
each  division  of  the  army  is  a  major-general;  over 
each  brigade  a  brigadier-general ;  over  each  regi- 
ment a  colonel ;  over  each  company,  a  captain ;  over 
each  platoon  a  corporal  or  sergeant.  Our  Church  is 
divided  in  like  manner :  the  districts  over  which 
the  bishops  preside  answering  to  the  divisions  of 
the  major-generals  ;  the  presiding  eklers'  office  and 
district  answerino-  to  those  of  the  briaade  and  bri- 
gadier;  the  preacher  in  charge  and  his  circuit  or 
station  answering  to  the  regiment,  battalion,  or 
squadron,  and  their  officers ;  the  class  and  band- 
leaders, to  captains,  sergeants,  and  corporals.  This 
arrangement  gives  the  Church  advantages  which  no 
other  system  of  spiritual  warfare  can  possess.  It 
is  enabled  promptly  to  send  forth  men-  to  pioneer 
every  outlying  region,  and  at  once  to  fill  all  vacan- 
cies occasioned  by  desertion,  infirmity,  sickness,  or 
death.  It  demands  the  prime  of  health  and  man- 
hood, the  flower  of  life  and  talent,  zeal  and  learnino:. 
It  calls  for  the  youthful  from  all  ranks,  and  by  its 
toils  and  trials  develops  their  latent  powers,  and 
strengthens  thcra  to  become  men  of  might  and  sons 
of  thunder.  It  lays  aside  in  part  the  infirm  and 
aged,  and  taxes  the  preacher's  devotion  to  Chris- 
tianity to  the  utmost.  It  is  the  most  penetrating, 
self-sacrificing,  self-denying,  energetic  economy  the 
world  has  seen  since  the  days  of  St.  Paul.  A  bless- 


20  LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

iiig  to  the  people,  its  burden  falls  mainly  on  the 
minis  try.  Shnple  and  light  in  its  operations,  it 
moves  with  celerity ;  and  celerity  in  war  is  equi- 
valent to  success.  Compact  and  united,  when  it 
strikes  the  foe,  it  does  so  with  the  force  of  its  com- 
bined momentum,  and  resists  attack  with  its  entire 
front  to  the  assailant.  Like  the  angel  of  Revela- 
tion, it  flies  resistlessly ;  and,  like  him,  preaches 
the  gospel  to  every  creature.  The  system  is  to- 
tally unselfish.  It  does  not  localize  talent  for  the 
benefit  and  pleasure  of  the  fastidious  and  selfish 
few,  but  dispenses  its  light  and  heat  among  the 
poor  as  among  the  rich.  It  panders  not  to  exqui- 
site delicacy  or  morbid  taste,  but  inspires  attend- 
ance upon  the  sanctuary  as  a  place  for  Divine  tvor- 
ship,  rather  than  for  the  pleasure  of  hearing  a 
musical  or  classical  entertainment.  Independent, 
bold,  young,  active,  and  poor,  it  has  been  blessed 
of  God  to  the  salvation  of  millions.  Mrs.  Norton 
was  an  admirer  of  the  Church  because  of  its  mili- 
iarij  economy.  She  wisely  concluded  that  such 
Church-government  was  the  best  and  the  most  di- 
vine which  resulted  in  carrying  the  gospel  to  the 
greatest  number  of  people,  and  in  winning  most  to 
Christ.  And  judging  a  tree  by  its  fruits,  the 
Church  of  her  choice  was  peculiarly  of  the  right- 
hand  planting  of  the  Lord.  To  preserve  the  sys- 
tem, she  felt  th'dt  personal  ^preferences  must  often  be 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    N  OUT  ON.  21 

sacrificed  to  the  general  good ;  and  that  as  for  op- 
pression, this  could  not  prevail  so  long  as  the  pas- 
tor's official  prerogative  was  countervailed  by  his 
means  of  subsistence  in  the  hands  of  the  laity. 
Piety  in  the  Church  is  the  great  safeguard  of  its 
rights  ;  were  this  wanting,  the  Church  would  be  an 
engine  of  evil ;  and  when  this  wanes,  it  will  be  well 
if  the  military  Church  decay. 

As  to  Methodist  doctrines,  Miss  Low  cordially 
embraced  them — slie  believed  them  plainly  taught 
in  the  word  of  Clod.  As  for  "  baptism  and  the  lay- 
ing on  of  hands,"  she  was  not  much  troubled.  Bap- 
tized into  Christ  by  the  pouring  of  the  Spirit,  she 
was  satisfied  with  being,  in  the  same  way,  baptized 
into  his  Church  by  the  pouring  of  water.  She  be- 
lieved that  God  promised  to  ''^ pour  out  his  Spirit 
upon  his  servants  and  handmaidens"  in  the  Chri3- 
tian  age;  and  that  this  was  the  baptism  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  on  the  day  of  pentecost,  she  was  assured  by 
the  words  of  Christ  and  of  an  apostle.  Christ,  "  be- 
ing assembled  together  with  them,  commanded 
them  not  to  depart  from  Jerusalem,  but  wait  for 
the  promise  of  the  Father,  which,  saith  he,  ye  have 
heard  of  me.  For  John  truly  baptized  you  M'ith 
water,  but  ye  sliall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy 
Ghost  not  many  d;iys  hence."  "  This  Jesus  hath 
(Jod  r;iis('d  up,  whereof  we  are  all  witnesses. 
Thurerore,  being  Ijy  the  right  hand  of  God  exalted, 


22  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

and  having  received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  He  hath  poured  out  this  which 
ye  now  see  and  hear."  Iler  conclusion  was,  that 
if  Christ  himself  baptized  by  pouring,  and  in  no 
other  specified  mode,  it  was  legitimate  for  his  peo- 
ple to  baptize  and  be  baptized  by  pourhiff  also ;  and 
surely  it  seems  absurd  that  Christ  would  ignore  a 
mode  of  baptism  as  spurious  which  he  himself  prac- 
ticed at  the  hour  of  the  full  inauguration  of  the  gospel 
economy.  Surely,  as  the  disciples  were  to  baptize 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  from  the  day  of  pentecost  through  all  time, 
their  exemplified  mode  of  baptism  was  rather  an  abso- 
lute and  authoritative  example  to  the  Church  than  a 
merely  legitimate  form  of  consecration :  was  not  the 
Divine  pattern  of  baptism  of  Divine  obligation  ? 
•  To  our  sister  the  Lord's  Supper  was  ever  a 
source  of  dehghtful  meditation  and  participation. 
At  the  sacramental  meeting  her  heart  was  always 
tender,  penitent,  and  often  rapturously  moved  with 
gratitude  and  hope.  Looking  to  the  past,  Jerusa- 
lem as  it  was  rose  to  her  mind  as  in  real  life ;  and 
glancing  at  the  future,  Jerusalem  as  it  yet  shall  be 
appeared  to  her  faith  a  glorious  reality.  Rev.  Dr. 
Huston  says,  "  Mrs.  Norton  never  interrupted  my 
preaching  but  on  one  occasion.  I  was  preaching 
from  the  text,  'Walk  about  Jerusalem,'  etc.,  and 
Mrs.  Norton  seemed  altogether  overcome  by  emo- 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  23 

tion.  She  pmised  God  aloud  repeatedly  during 
the  discourse.  The  next  day  she  sent  for  me  to 
talk  with  her  about  the  city  of  God,  and  I  never 
was  in  her  company  afterwards  that  she  did  not 
make  Jerusalem  a  theme  of  dehghtful  conversa- 
tion." The  cross  on  which  the  Saviour  died,  con- 
trasted with  the  throne  of  God,  and  the  crown 
of  thorns  with  the  diadem  of  eternal  dominion,  the 
insulting  crowds,  the  mocking  soldiers,  the  con- 
temptuous robe  of  purple,  the  ring  of  the  hammers, 
the  writhe  of  agony,  the  weeping  of  timid  and  dis- 
tant friends,  the  dripping  blood,  and  the  cry  of 
despair ;  the  awful  hours  of  darkness,  the  rending 
of  the  rocks  and  hills,  the  bursting  of  tombs,  and 
the  death  of  the  Lamb  of  God ;  the  solemn  burial, 
the  sleepless  vigil  of  the  guards,  the  descent  of  an- 
gels, the  rise  of  Jesus  from  the  realms  of  death 
and  hell,  bearing  their  keys  in  victory,  and  the 
ascent  from  Olivet  amid  the  shouts  of  heaven, 
seemed  vividly  near  her  as  facts  involving  her  re- 
demption ;  while  her  joyful  hope  as  vividly  ante- 
dated the  descent  of  the  King  in  his  beauty,  and 
the  clouds  of  attending  angels ;  the  clangor  of  the 
last  trumpet,  and  the  shouts  of  eternity;  the 
flaming  heavens,  and  the  smoking  earth;  the  burst- 
ing sepulchres,  and  the  rising  dead;  the  shouts 
of  Christians,  and  the  shrieks  of  the  impenitent ; 
the  denunciation  of  the  wicked,  and  the  welcome 


24  LIFE     OF     M  11  S  .  NO  K  T  0  N . 

of  the  faithful.  As  she  partook  the  elements  of 
bread  and  wine,  she  expected  ere  long  to  drink  the 
fruit  of  the  vine  new  in  her  Father's  kingdom,  and 
to  take  the  bread  of  eternal  life,  broken  by  her  own 
Redeemer's  hands,  at  his  table,  and  among  the 
good  and  the  glorified  from  earth. 

The  time-honored  day  of  fasting  before  each 
quarterly  meeting  was  to  her  a  season  of  self-ex- 
amination as  truly  as  of  prayer  and  abstinence. 

The  philosophy  of  fasting,  and  its  effect  upon 
our  faith  and  practice,  is  simple  and  wonderfully 
efficacious.  Intense  devotion  to  any  object,  and 
especially  to  religion,  is  greatly  augmented  by  in- 
tense and  concentrated  thought.  Whatever  tends 
to  fix  our  minds  fully  upon  God,  upon  his  law,  and 
upon  Christ  and  reformation  of  life,  must  result  in 
strong  convictions  and  resolves ;  and  these  natu- 
rally develop  themselves  in  the  active  practice  of 
duty.  Religious  abstinence  from  food  tends,  by 
the  constant  recurrence  of  hunger-pains,  to  f^isten 
our  thoughts  upon  the  sacred  reasons  of  our  fost- 
ing.  The  weakness  of  the  flesh  suggests  our  utter 
dependence  upon  God,  and  impresses  us  with  hum- 
ble notions  of  our  own  powers,  and  increases  in  us 
earnest  approaches  to  the  Source  of  all  our  supplies 
of  grace.  The  faith  which  rises  to  the  highest 
power  of  triumph  is  inseparable  from  the  humility 
and  intense  prayer  natiiralhj  associated  with  the 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  25 

Christian  duty  of  self-denial  in  the  temporary  disuse 
of  food.  One  secret  of  our  sister's  warm  devotion 
seems  observable  in  her  attention  to  this  simple 
but  often  exceedingly  onerous  duty.  Any  Chris- 
tian would  be  greatly  profited  by  fasting  at  least 
four  times  a  year.  The  world  can  scarcely  over- 
come our  faith  if  we  observe  truly  the  vows  we 
make  to  fast  and  pray. 

Mrs.  Norton  always  filled  her  place  at  the  Lord's 
Supper.  As  it  was  an  inexorable  Jewish  duty  to 
eat  of  unleavened  bread  and  of  the  paschal  lamb  in 
memory  of  the  passover  and  deliverance  from 
Egypt,  so  she  felt  it  to  be  her  Christian  duty  to 
partake  the  memorials  of  the  death  of  the  Lamb 
of  God  and  of  her  deliverance  from  the  destroying 
angel  by  his  blood.  No  silly  whiin,  no  foolish  ca- 
price, no  frivolous  excuse  satisfied  her  mind  that 
God  would  excuse  a  public  neglect  of  solemnly 
acknowledging  her  Saviour,  and  of  showing  a  pre- 
cious memory  of  his  sufferings  until  his  return : 
she  partook  of  the  elements  as  at  the  last  supper 
on  earth,  and  as  hasting  to  the  supper  of  the  Lamb 
in  heaven. 

At  the  class  Mrs.  Norton  was  always  ready  to 
speak  forth  her  testimony  of  the  grace  bestowed 
upon  her  in  hours  of  sorrow  or  joy.  It  was  a 
meeting  she  highly  prized  and  understood.  Few 
persons  uneducated  by  Methodism  have  a  proj)er 
2 


26  LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

conception  of  its  designs.  It  is  simply  a  meeting 
for  Christian  conversation,  and  is  devoted  to  such 
conversation  exclusively.  In  its  original  institu- 
tion, attendance  upon  it  was  not  a  test  of  Church- 
membership  ;  indeed,  it  seems  to  have  been  ex- 
pressly organized  as  a  meeting  for  inquirers  of  the 
way  to  life — it  was  a  seeker's  meeting  rather  than 
one  of  full  professing  Christians.  In  America  and 
in  England,  after  Mr.  Wesley's  death,  its  original 
character  was,  wisely  or  unwisely,  infringed,  and 
attendance  upon  it  became  a  test  of  Church-mem- 
bership, and  this  either  fortunately  or  unfortu- 
nately for  the  Methodist  economy  generally.  As 
it  now  stands,  it  is  a  meeting  for  both  seekers  and 
advanced  Christians  by  disciplinary  obligation. 
That  it  is  an  abundant  and  incomparable  means  of 
grace  to  those  who  can  attend  upon  it  when  pro- 
perly conducted,  there  can  be  no  doubt ;  but  when 
ill-conducted,  like  all  noble  means  of  usefulness,  it 
must  lose  much  of  its  saving  influences.  The 
average  weekly  attendance  upon  it  in  sparsely  set- 
tled regions  in  England  and  America,  has  rarely 
ever  exceeded  one-tenth  of  the  actual  membership". 
Yet  to  those  who  constantly  frequent  it,  it  is 
ever  like  the  place  on  Jacob's  journey  where  an- 
gels hovered  o'er  his  dreams,  and  heaven's  fair 
gates  were  opened  wide  to  bless  the  fugitive  of 
sorrow.     The  heart  borne  down  with  griefs  finds 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  27 

sweet  relief  when  it  can  pour  its  story  of  despond- 
ency into  the  ear  of  Christian  sympathy ;  and 
the  feeble  and  the  tempted  gain  new  strength  by 
hearing  a  like  experience  from  those  that  are  still 
urging  their  pathway  to  the  skies.  Where  there 
is  zeal  in  a  good  cause,  that  zeal  takes  fire  and 
burns  with  double  ardor  when  different  persons, 
burdened  with  the  same  thoughts,  express  their 
feehngs  freely  to  each  other.  Whatever  may  be 
our  secret  fervor  for  God,  we  never  can  possess 
the  same  strength  of  union  of  hearts  and  hands 
without  free  and  full  expression  of  our  thoughts, 
as  we  can  with  it, 

"  The  motion  of  the  hidden  fire  that  trembles  in 
the  breast,"  must  escape  the  lips  before  it  can  warm 
the  hearts  of  others  ;  and  it  is  our  duty  to  quicken 
the  souls  of  others,  as  well  as  to  be  strengthened 
ourselves.     In  class,  we  meet 

"Each  the  other's  cross  to  hear, 


While  each  his  friendly  aid  affords, 
And  feels  his  brother's  care." 

Christian  sorrows  and  joys  are  connnon  Chris- 
tian property,-  and  we  may  not  deny  sympathy 
with  the  former,  nor  can  we  rightfully  be  denied  a 
share  of  the  latter ;  but  if  we  have  no  class-meet- 
ing, then  the  Church  has  no  regular  means  of  minis- 
tering in  the  one  case,  nor  of  being  ministered  to 
in  the  other.     Mrs.  Norton  was  ever   awake   to 


28  LIFE    or    MRS.    NORTON. 

these  things,  and  always  found  the  class-meeting  a 
A'ery  gate  of  heaven;  and  it  was  here  her  true 
Christian  character  radiated  in  the  frequent  narra- 
tion of  her  personal  experience;  and  her  place  here 
was  never  vacant  unless  unavoidably  so.  When 
she  spoke,  she  did  so  in  an  intelhgible  manner,  so 
that  all  could  hear  and  profit  by  her  experience. 
This  clear  method  of  speaking  is  essential  to  a  use- 
ful class-meeting.  By  it  we  are  able  to  compare 
our  experience  with  that  of  others,  and  gather 
many  a  crumb  of  comfort  which  would  otherwise 
be  lost.  A  mumbling,  inarticulate  expression  of 
our  thoughts  in  common  conversation  is  not  ap- 
propriate in  any  company,  much  less  where  we  are 
talking  of  God  and  his  goodness. 

The  weekly  experience  of  Mrs.  Norton  exhi- 
bited a  constant  effort,  on  her  part,  of  conformity 
of  life  to  the  law  of  love.  Christian  enjoyment 
was,  with  her,  the  result  of  a  good  life,  as  well  as 
of  that  joy  divinely  bestowed  by  the  ''  Spirit  which 
helpeth  our  infirmities."  They  were  rarely  ex- 
pressed vociferously,  but  were  often  poured  forth 
as  was  the  spontaneous  glorification  of  God  by 
Mary  of  old.  Her  "  soul  magnified  the  Lord,"  in 
intelligent  enunciation  for  his  mercy,  till  the  list- 
eners were  overwhelmed  by  her  spirit  of  utterance, 
and  by  the  grace  she  ministered  to  them.  A  shout 
of  glory  is  by  no  means  reprehensible ;  for  "  Cry  out 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  29 

and  sJiout,  thou  inhabitant  of  Zion,"  is  an  exhorta- 
tion to  which  our  conformity  is  rather  commenda- 
ble;  but  the  protracted  explanation  of  our  joys 
certainly  gives  more  of  pleasure  to  a  company  of 
Christians  awaiting  the  manifestations  of  Divine 
love  "  as  the  Spirit  gives  them  utterance."  The 
rapturous  and  angelic  expression  of  Mrs.  Norton, 
while  she  spoke  of  redeeming  love,  her  flowing 
tears  of  pleasure,  her  burning  words  of  happiness, 
have  thrilled  the  hearts  of  many  of  her  classmates 
journeying  to  the  same  destiny,  and  many  of  whom 
have  long  since  united  with  her  upon  the  fruition 
of  joys  to  which  those  of  the  class-meeting  were 
but  the  antepast. 

Mrs.  Norton  had  her  temptations  and  her  trials 
of  faith.  ]Many  improperly  suppose  that  persons 
possessed  of  fortune  can  have  but  little  to  mar  their 
peace,  or  "  tempt  their  steady  feet  aside ;"  but  the 
case  is  far  otherwise.  Riches,  by  their  fulness  of 
plenty,  tend  to  satisfy  us  with  our  lot,  and  make 
us  forget  those  heavenly  comforts  which  ordinarily 
draw  mankind  in  thought  strongly  toward  heaven. 
To  be  plain  amidst  the  circles  of  voluptuous  fashion, 
to  be  humble  and  unassuming  among  the  tongues 
of  flattery  and  compliment,  is  no  ordinary  task  for 
humanity.  And  Mrs.  Norton  ever  felt  that  a  por- 
tion of  one  of  our  sweet  hymns  most  graphically 
described  her  struggles  of  mind  : 


30  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

"Prone  to  wander,  Lord,  I  feel  it, 
Prone  to  leave  the  God  I  love," 

was  a  constant  sentiment  with  her  amid  the  gaudy 
scenes  around  her.  But  yet  her  constant  con- 
fession was, 

"  Here  's  my  heart,  0  take  and  seal  it, 
Seal  it  for  thy  courts  above." 

To  her  the  alkirements  of  heaven  were  stronger 
than  the  flatteries  of  the  world,  and  communion 
with  God  more  enchanting  than  the  winning  circles 
of  r<?fined  but  earthly  society.  Her  habits  of  hu- 
mility and  piety,  formed  upon  principle  amidst  the 
strongest  counter-attractions,  became  inflexible, 
and  she  stood  at  length  in  her  fixedness  of  purpose 
as  a  Christian,  "  firm  as  an  iron  pillar,  strong  and 
steadfast  as  a  wall  of  brass."  Many  professed 
Christians  possess  tastes  so  refined,  that  it  seems 
irksome  to  them  to  associate  with  the  humbler  and 
less  favored  members  of  the  fold  of  Christ.  But  the 
cultivation  of  mind  and  refinement  of  manners  pos- 
sessed by  our  friend  will  challenge  comparison 
with  those  of  any  lady,  either  in  our  own  country 
or  in  any  other  :  her  personal  beauty,  her  superior 
intellect,  her  scholarly  advantages,  her  ripe  attain- 
ments, and  her  circle  of  friends,  will  place  her  far, 
very  far  above  the  large  majority  of  those  who  put 
forward  their  claims  to  a  place  in  "  the  first  circles." 
But  with  all  her  natural  claims  to  eminence,  she 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  31 

would  have  esteemed  it  unworthy  of  a  genuine  lady, 
and  much  more  of  a  Christian,  to  have  pressed  these 
as  a  reason  for  holding  the  children  of  God  at  a  dis- 
tance because  they  were  not  attired  in  costly  appa- 
rel. To  her  the  heart  "  refined"  by  grace,  and  fitted 
to  adorn  a  throne  among  '"  the  morning  stars,"  was 
more  to  be  esteemed  than  the  intellect  adorned  with 
a  few  terrestrial  ideas,  and  abody  ornate  with  perish- 
able apparel,  too  often  badly  selected,  and  adjusted 
in  worse  taste.  With  her  the  milliner  and  mantua- 
maker  did  not  make  the  woman,  nor  hereditary 
claims  to  name  and  money ;  but  those  upon  whom 
God's  seal  was  set,  and  who  spoke  the  language 
of  the  courts  above ;  those  who  could  claim  de- 
scent from  God,  and  w^ere  beautified  with  salva- 
tion, she  recognized  as  proper  objects  of  afliliation 
and  association.  It  was  not  wealth  or  poverty, 
plain  apparel  or  rich,  high  claims  to  merit  or  hu- 
mility of  pretensions,  that  had  special  charms  for 
her — it  was  those  wdio  had  their  names  written  in 
heaven  that  she  most  admired  and  cherished. 
Without  reference  to  any  e;irthly  badge  of  distinc- 
tion, she  met  on  equality  with  her  fellow-Chris- 
tians in  the  class-room,  and  profited  by  those 
having  their  "  convers.ation  in  heaven,"  and,  with- 
out being  conscious  of  the  fact,  she  was  herself  one 
of  the  means  of  preserving  vitality  in  her  class,  and 
of  leading  others  to  glory.     In  the  years  of  her 


32  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

girlhood,  with  Bishop  Asbury  for  a  leader,  she  had 
oftentimes  spoken,  in  class,  of  her  hopes  of  one 
day  outriding  the  temptations  of  life,  and  the 
stormy  waves  of  death;  religion  and  Jesus  had 
been  the  subject  of  her  strongest  thoughts  and  ex- 
pressions ;  she  had  witnessed  the  youthful  and 
the  aged  drop  their  pilgrim  staff  at  her  side,  and 
"  fly  from  this  desolate  shore  j"  she  had 

"Longed  from  this  desert  with  joy  to  rise, 
And  away  from  her  prison  to  fly  ;" 

And  at  last  the  season  drew  near.  For  the  last 
time  she  met  in  her  class-room,  seemingly  con- 
scious that  she  would  return  no  more;  she  glanced 
over  the  past,  and  felt,  overwhelmingly,  that  most 
of  "  her  friends  had  crossed  the  flood,"  and  she 
had  "  to  the  margin  come,"  ere  long  to  pass  away. 
With  a  steady  heart,  yet  full  of  emotion,  she 
spoke  of  her  decease,  which  must  soon  be  accom- 
plished :  "  long  had  she  sought  to  win  the  prize, 
and  glory  was  in  view."     She  said, 

"Tis  almost  done,  'tis  almost  o'er, 
We're  joining  those  who've  gone  before." 

"My  old  companions  in  distress 

I  haste  again  to  see, 
And  eager  long  for  my  release, 

And  full  felicity. 
E'en  now,  by  faith,  I  join  my  hands 

With  those  that  went  before, 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  33 

And  greet  the  blood-besprinkled  bands 

Ou  the  eternal  shore. 
My  spirit  too  shall  quickly  join, 

Like  theirs,  with  glory  crowned. 
And  shout  to  see  ray  Captain's  sign, 

To  hear  his  trumpet  sound." 

"  I  have  followed  no  cunningly  devised  fable.  I 
know  whom  I  have  believed.  I  have  fought  the 
good  fight,  and  have  kept  the  faith.  I  shall  over- 
come at  last.  I  have  the  earnest  of  my  inherit- 
ance. I  have  tasted  the  good  word  of  God,  and 
the  powers  of  the  world  to  come.  There  is  a  Di- 
vine power  in  the  religion  of  our  God  :  it  sus- 
tained me  when  a  child ;  it  has  attended  me  in  all 
my  riper  years ;  and  it  is  with  me  still.  I  had 
my  doubts,  my  temptations,  my  trials,  my  days 
of  despondence,  and  often  feared  '  I  should  be  a 
castaw^ay  ;'  but  grace  has  led  me  safe  thus  far,  and 
grace  will  lead  me  home.  Hereafter  I  may  talk 
no  more  with  you  of  heaven.  I  am  going  to  see 
its  glories  with  open  face ;  to  walk  and  talk  with 
God ;  and  expect  to  be  in  the  company  that  will 
give  you,  one  by  one,  an  abundant  entrance  into 
the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord.  Be  faithful, 
and  we  shall  meet  again." 


2:i: 


34  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 


CHAPTER   IL 

PKATER — PBATEU-MEETINaS — PUBLIC  WORSHIP — SINGING. 

Mrs.  Norton  was  eminently  a  woman  of  prayer. 
She  "  walked  and  talked  with  God ;"  her  "  conver- 
sation was  in  heaven." 

The  effects  of  prayer  are  twofold :  they  make 
us  like  God,  and  secure  the  desires  of  our  heart. 
We  naturally  assimilate  the  character  of  those  with 
whom  we  associate,  and  become  like  them  in  spirit 
and  manners  :  we  often  unconsciously  and  involun- 
tarily adopt  their  idioms  of  speech,  their  intona- 
tions of  voice,  their  idiosyncrasies  of  gesture  and 
attitude,  and  their  idiocratic  impulses ;  we  adopt 
their  sentiments,  and  affiliate  with  the  objects  of 
their  attachment :  "A  man  is  known  by  the  com- 
pany he  keeps."  This  peculiarity  of  our  nature 
leads  us  to  conform  our  hearts  and  habits,  doc- 
trines and  duties,  to  the  standard  of  Divine  love, 
by  being  often  in  divine  company.  As  the  glass 
is  made  sensitive  to  the  impress  of  the  rays  of 
light  in  the  hands  of  skill,  and  as  the  image  of  the 
face  before  the  object-lens  passes  to  the  glass  within 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  35 

the  shaded  camera,  so  the  human  heart,  through 
penitence,  is  rendered  sensitive  to  pencils  of  celes- 
tial rays;  and  humble  prayer  bringing  the  soul 
into  secret  vision  of  the  face  of  Grod,  with  worldly 
light  excluded,  finds  by  experience  that  the  glory 
of  the  Lord  is  softly  imaged  on  it  in  immortal  love- 
liness. And  as  the  face  of  Moses  shone  from  con- 
tact with  the  vivid  glory  of  Jehovah,  so  mortals, 
merged  by  prayer  into  the  glorious  symbol  of  his 
presence,  are  covered  with  its  radiance,  and  from 
communion  with  the  Deity  become,  like  him,  ar- 
rayed with  the  beauty  of  holiness.  By  prayer, 
finite  weakness  is  brought  contrastingly  into  the 
presence  of  Omnipotence ;  corruption  before  spot- 
less purity ;  sin  before  eternal  vengeance ;  peni- 
tence before  mercy ;  supplication  before  the  Lamb 
of  God ;  despair  into  the  presence  of  hope ;  and 
death  before  immortality. 

Here  confession — the  enumeration  of  our  faults; 
the  cry  for  gi'ace  to  conquer  ourselves,  and  to  over- 
come the  temptations  of  the  world  and  of  lust ;  the 
sight  of  God's  perfect  standard  of  duty,  and  the 
renewal  of  our  vows  of  conformity  to  its  require- 
ments ;  intercession  for  others,  and  the  rising  joys 
of  pardon,  all  mingle  and  make  the  hours  of  prayer 
sadly  sweet,  but  all  essentially  rapturous. 

]\Trs.  Norton  loved  to  be  often  closeted  from 
the  world,  alone  in  company  with  her  Redeemer, 


36  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

and  she  never  returned  from  his  presence  but  with 
a  heart  overflowing  with  love.  It  was  her  rule  to 
pray  till  she  was  happy  under  a  sense  of  Divine 
acceptance.  Like  Jacob,  she  never  left  the  Angel 
without  a  blessing,  nor  allowed  him  to  depart 
without  pronouncing  the  emphatic  name  of  Israel. 
It  was  this  unbroken  communion  with  God  that 
gave  that  settled  cheerfulness  of  temper  she  so 
generally  manifested,  and  added  to  the  impressive 
expression  of  her  personal  beauty.  Whatever  may 
be  asserted  to  the  contrary,  it  is  certainly  true,  that 
where  the  heart  is  beautiful  with  love  and  joy,  it 
imparts  an  animation,  a  brilliancy  and  a  force  to 
material  charms  almost  fascinating ;  but  where  this 
joy,  love,  and  brilliancy  are  toned  up  to  a  Divine 
standard,  they  impart  a  glow  to  the  features  and 
manners  which  dazzles  the  beholder  into  ecstatic 
admiration.  Many  persons  of  unimpressive  and 
irregular  features  are  often,  when  animated  by  in- 
telhgent  conversation  or  action,  exceedingly  beau- 
tiful ;  and  it  is  not  uncommon  to  observe,  in  sea- 
sons of  religious  awakening,  that  many  a  face  seems 
wonderfully  transformed  from  plainness  to  ele- 
gance by  coincident  religious  animation  of  the  spi- 
rit. Congregations,  indeed,  are  often  riveted  to  a 
fixed  gaze,  and  awed  to  silence,  at  the  angelic 
loveliness  beaming  expressively  from  the  face  and 
deportment  of  some  .converted   sinner  suddenly 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  37 

translated  from  darkness  to  light  under  Divine 
power.  The  transition  from  cries  of  sorrow  to 
words  of  impassioned  gladness  ;  from  tears  to  bril- 
liant eyes ;  from  hnes  of  sadness  to  features  flash- 
ing with  dehght,  are  incapable  of  counterfeit  either 
by  a  novice  or  an  adept  in  hypocrisy ;  neither  faith 
nor  fancy  can  produce  such  beauty,  nor  can  it  be 
the  result  of  any  self-deception.  The  cause  of  such 
bhssfui  expression  is  Divine ;  the  radiance  and  the 
joy  are  alike  supernal  in  origin  and  revelation. 
Now,  wherever  such  cause  exists  fermanenihj  in 
the  individual,  it  must  give  a  constant  habit  of  ex- 
pression, and  the  lineaments  of  the  features  must 
correlate  to  it,  and  become  in  a  manner  stereo- 
typed. Philosophy  claims  that  intelhgence  is  one 
of  the  principal  sources  of  human  beauty ;  but  cer- 
tainly our  faces  express  our  moral  feelings  as  truly 
as  our  intellectual,  and  as  the  latter  are  of  a  higher 
order,  their  resulting  beauty  of  expression  must 
surpass  the  intellectual,  and  greatly  enhance  the 
material.  Mrs.  Norton's  face,  though  always  en- 
gaging, and  though  intelligence  added  much  to  its 
attractiveness,  was  yet  a  debtor  for  its  depth  of 
winning  to  her  secret  devotion,  to  her  happiness  in 
God,  and  to  her  hopes  of  glory. 

It  is  unfortunate  for  some  Christians  that  they 
allow  tlieir  private  devotions  to  be  needlessly  in- 
terrupted ])y  trifling  circumstances.    Some  persons 

447986 


38  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

arise  in  the  morning  and  enter  upon  their  daily 
employments  without  thanks  for  repose  or  reveren- 
tial calls  for  dail}''  help  from  God ;  nay,  some  do 
not  even  breathe  an  ejaculation  for  help.  Prayer 
is  not  necessarily  a  protracted  duty,  and  such 
might  at  least  pause  long  enough  to  say, 

• '  Direct,  control,  suggest  this  day, 
All  I  design,  or  do,  or  say ; 
May  all  my  powers,  with  all  their  might, 
In  thy  sole  glory.  Lord,  unite." 

Alas  for  the  Christian  that  begins  the  trials  of  a 
single  day  without  God's  help  or  company !  Such 
a  one  never  finds  a  smooth  life. 

But  there  are  also  Christians  who  retire  to  rest 
with  the  intention  of  praying  after  they  lie  down, 
and  are  often  fast  asleep  before  a  becoming  prayer 
has  escaped  their  lips. 

Mrs.  Norton  never  permitted  any  thing  to  inter- 
rupt her  regular  devotions.  Her  piety,  at  first 
like  that  of  all  young  Christians,  though  based  on 
principle,  was  yet  impulsive ;  but  she  disciplined 
her  principles  into  the  habit  of  prayer,  until  at 
length  any  departure  from  it  was  exceedingly 
painful.  Three  times  a  day,  morning,  noon,  and 
night,  she  retired  from  observation  to  pray.*    Her 

*  The  following  is  an  extract  from  one  of  her  last  lettci's.     It  is  to 
some  young  converts,  and  dated  1848  : 

"I  am  seated  by  a  good  warm  fire,  writing  to  my  dear  Sarah  and 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  39 

house  was  usually  thronged  with  visitors,  and  the 
cares  of  her  household  were  onerous  ;  but  nothing 
prevented  her  observance  of  her  stated  seasons 
of  devotion.  She  always  found  opportunity  to 
forecast  and  excuse  herself  from  her  friends,  and 
retire  unostentatiously  to  her  closet.  Here  she  read 
a  portion  of  the  Bible,  and  was  often  drawn  out 
in  prayer  till  her  agonizing  soul,  interceding  for  the 
salvation  of  some  cherished  object  or  friend,  seemed 
ready  to  faint;  but  in  the  end  her  faith  prevailed — 
she  left  her  closet  satisfied  that  "  if  we  ask  any 
thing  according  to  his  will,  he  heareth  us,  and  if  we 
know  that  he  hear  us,  we  know  that  we  have  the 
petitions  we  desired  of  him,  whatsoever  we  ask." 

When  away  from  home  where  retiracy  from  ob- 
servation was  often  impossible,  she  selected  appro- 


her  sisters,  who  have  taken  such  a  wise  step  as  to  set  out  in  earnest 
in  early  youth  to  serve  the  God  whom  angels  adore.  ...  0,  my  dear 
Sarah,  he  firm,  and  you  will  be  happy.  Could  I  live  my  Christian  life 
over  again,  0  how  I  would  strive  to  be  more  earnestly  devoted  to  God 
und  his  service.  I  find  by  long  experience  I  am  never  so  happy  as 
when  I  attend  to  my  regular  duties  faithfully,  such  as  daily  reading 
the  Bible,  and  secret  prayer  at  least  three  times  a  day,  and  also  public 
duties  as  far  as  is  in  my  power.  A  due  attention  to  those  things,  my 
dear  girls,  will  enable  you  to  perform  all  other  duties  with  delight  and 
success,  and  to  be  consistent  Christians  in  your  daily  walks  at  home 
and  abroad ;  thus  you  will  prove  a  blessing  to  the  Church  and  all 
around  you.  .  .  .  Read  the  Life  of  .Tames  B.  Taylor,  which  T  gave  your 
papa.  0,  take  his  example.  Never  be  satisfied  until  your  religion 
gives  you  power  over  sin ;  until  it  makes  you  happy,  happy,  happy, 
in  the  love  of  God." 


40  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

priate  times,  and,  without  external  forms  of  humil- 
ity, bowed  her  heart  to  God,  holding  communion 
with  him,  like  Hannah  before  Eli  at  the  taberna- 
cle :  "  her  lips  moved,  but  her  voice  was  not  heard." 
She  might  forget  her  apparel  and  hgr  baggage,  her 
servants  and  her  friends,  but  she  never  forgot  to 
pray.  Her  prayers  did  not  make  her  morose  nor 
discourteous  to  strangers  or  acquaintances ;  but  be- 
stowing a  calm  spirit  of  self-possession,  she  was 
intimidated  by  no  needless  fears  of  dangers,  nor 
was  her  composure  disturbed  by  casualties  or  mis- 
fortunes :  ever  ready  to  alleviate  the  distresses  of 
others,  she  was  patient  under  her  own.  In  all  her 
journeyings,  and  they  were  many,  God  was  a  com- 
panion whom  she  realized  as  always  near.  Under 
the  singular  licentious  impulse  which  seems  to  ac- 
tuate most  travellers  w^ien  first  from  under  the 
observation  of  friends,  others  might  run  wild  in 
their  hunt  of  pleasure ;  but  Mrs.  Norton  always 
preserved  a  sterling  integrity.  They  might  fly  to 
the  opera,  the  theatre,  the  masquerade,  or  violate 
the  Sabbath,  yet  she  sought  the  house  of  prayer, 
and  found  everywhere  that  enjoyment  which  springs 
from  a  conscience  void  of  offence  under  temptation. 
In  all  her  walks,  in  all  her  ways,  a  prayerful  spirit 
and  ,the  recognized  presence  of  God  shed  upon  her 
a  halo  of  loveliness  that  constrained  the  world  to 
acknowledge  that  she  was  a  genuine  heir  of  glory. 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  41 

But  Mrs.  Norton  realized  most  wonderfully  that 
God  is  the  answerer  of  prayer.  Often  indeed  be- 
fore she  arose  from  her  devotions  did  the  message 
of  comfort  arrive.  As  Daniel  was  assured  by  the 
arrival  of  an  angel  that  his  jDetition  was  granted 
before  he  ended  his  sacrifice,  so  ]\[rs.  Norton  felt 
that  God  granted  all  she  asked.  The  fact  is  known 
by  the  sweet  experience  of  many  a  prayerful  heart, 
that  "  God  answers  while  we  are  yd  sjjeaking ;" 
so  strong  is  the  impression  oftentimes,  that  we 
cease  to  urge  our  cry :  constrained  to  believe  we 
are  heard,  we  go  in  peace  by  faith,  and  after- 
ward behold  the  realization  of  our  wishes. 

This  was  the  frequent  experience  of  our  sister 
when  praying  for  the  conviction  and  conversion 
of  those  whom  she  had  selected  as  special  objects 
of  intercession.  On  one  occasion,  while  praying 
for  an  unconverted  family,  she  suddenly  paused 
with  the  joyful  faith  of  assurance,  and  calling  for  her 
carriage,  drove  promptly  to  the  household  that  had 
been  the  object  of  her  prayers,  and  ere  long  saw  its 
members  happy  in  a  Saviour's  love.  At  other  times, 
in  the  same  manner  she  would  cease  her  cry  to  God 
for  some  unregencrate  person,  and  hasten  to  verify 
her  impressions  by  conversation ;  nor  was  her 
faith  often  disappointed  :  she  was  permitted,  in 
many  cases,  to  witness,  personally,  the  fulfdment 
of  the  promise,  that  "  what  things  soever  we  desire 


42  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

wben  we  pray,  if  we  believe  we  receive  them,  we' 
shall  have  thein."  She  knew  that,  whatever  might 
be  the  philosophy  of  prayer,  we  must  ask  if  we 
would  receive.  She  studied  to  know  as  far  as 
possible  the  Divine  reasons  for  this  duty;  but 
w^iere  she  was  not  informed  she  was  not  delayed 
in  its  practice,  but  might  have  been  said  to  pray 
without  ceasing.  She  was  constantly  giving  utter- 
ance to  ejaculatory  petitions  or  praises  to  God, 
and  always  possessed  a  prayerful  frame  of  mind. 
From  her 

"  Prayer  made  the  darkened  cloud  ■withdraw, 
Gave  exercise  to  faith  and  love, 
Brought  every  blessing  from  above." 

•'  She  loved  in  solitude  to  shed 

The  penitential  tear ; 
And  all  his  promises  to  plead 

Where  none  but  God  could  hear. 
She  loved  to  think  on  mercies  past. 

And  future  good  implore ; 
And  all  her  cares  and  sorrows  cast 

On  him  whom  saints  adore. 
And  when  life's  toilsome  day  was  o'er. 

Its  last  departing  ray 
Shone  on  a  saint  in  joyful  prayer 

Hard  by  eternal  day." 

Mrs.  Norton  always  attended  her  prayer-meet- 
ings with  extraordinary  punctuality.  Many  per- 
sons frame  vain  excuses  for  non-attendance  upon 
this  wonderful  means  of  grace  to  the  Church ;  and 
some  slight   it   because  of  its  apparent  insignifi- 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  43 

Ccance,  or  on  account  of  its  lack  of  interest  to  their 
minds.  Mrs.  Norton  always  felt  it  her  duty  to  be 
in  her  place,  and  to  do  all  in  her  power  to  render 
the  occasion  ensaGrino:  and  useful.      Indeed,  the 

COO  / 

very  fact  of  a  general  indifference  to  the  prayer- 
meeting  on  the  part  of  many,  led  her  the  more 
zealously  to  uphold  it.  She  felt  it  was  not  the 
preacher's  meeting  more  than  that  of  the  mem- 
bership, and  that  every  member  was  under  vow 
to  sustain  it,  as  well  as  all  other  ordinances  of 
the  house  of  God.  About  tliis  matter  she  did 
not  scruple  to  exhort,  remind,  and  persuade  others 
to  punctual  attendance.  She  knew  that  some  had 
neglected  so  much  and  so  habitually,  that  they 
scarce  knew  what  the  prayer-meeting  bell  was  rung 
for,  nor  what  the  preacher  meant  when  he,  from 
Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  exhorted  all  to  come  up  to  the 
house  of  prayer.  It  might  rain  or  shine,  blow, 
freeze,  storm,  or  snow,  but  Mrs.  Norton  was  always 
at  prayer-meeting.  On  the  coldest  night  of  one  of 
our  late  winters  the  preacher  attended  for  prayer- 
meeting,  hardly  expecting  to  find  any  present;  but, 
to  his  astonishment,  there  was  one  gentleman  besides 
himself,  and  fourteen  ladies ;  and  these  had  mostly 
come  with  ]Mrs.  Norton  at  their  head.  On  another 
occasion  a  tempest  was  rising  sufticient  to  appall  any 
ordinary  heroine  from  going  to  church,  if  not  from 
going  to  a  ball ;  but  on  arriving  at  the  house  of  wor- 


44  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

ship  the  preacher  found  Mrs.  Norton  in  her  place, 
engaged  in  singing  the  songs  of  Zion.  On  her  way 
home  the  streets  were  flooded  from  curbstone  to 
curbstone ;  but  Mrs.  Norton  waded  across  the  cur- 
rent as  if  it  were  a  matter  of  course,  and  made  no 
objections.  Such  cold  and  rain  would  deter  ten 
thousands  of  our  fashionable  Methodists  and  Bap- 
tists, Presbyterians  and  sinners  from  going  to 
church  at  all ;  but  Mrs.  Norton  thought  these  but 
trifles  when  they  interfered  with  the  worship  of 
her  God.  There  was  a  time  when  our  Western 
people  could  go  four  or  five  miles  to  church  on 
Sunday,  and  they  can  now  ride  that  distance  any 
week-day  to  go  a-shopping ;  but  when  such  a  thing 
as  going  that  distance  to  church  is  talked  of,  it 
seems  absurd  to  many  very  good  people.  Such  per- 
sons would  hardly  wade  through  a  torrent  to  go  to 
prayer-meeting.  Our  cities  have  as  devoted  Chris- 
tians as  can  be  found  in  the  country,  and  it  would 
be  well  if  many  in  town  and  country  could  endure 
a  little  more  hardness  for  the  cross  of  Christ. 

God  often  answers  our  prayers  at  once ;  but  or- 
dinarily he  delays  till  the  accumulation  of  petitions 
and  their  reiteration  from  the  prayer-meeting  cre- 
ates a  set  time  to  fxvor  Zion  and  to  answer  prayer. 
"  The  time  to  favor  Zion,  yea,  the  set  time,  (is 
when)  God's  servants  take  pleasure  in  her  stones, 
and  favor  the  dust  thereof."     In  other  words,  the 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  45 

time  to  expect  a  blessing  on  the  Church  is  when 
its  members  visit  it,  and  when  they  kneel  in  its 
dust  before  God.  In  this  work  all  are  under  obli- 
gation to  engage,  and  the  labor  should  not  devolve 
on  a  few.  Let  our  sisters  imitate  the  example  of 
Mrs.  Norton,  and  the  waste  places  of  Zion  will 
never  languish  or  mourn. 

Mrs.  Norton  was  always  a  punctual  attendant 
upon  public  worship.  When  at  home  she  wor- 
shipped with  her  own  people ;  and  when  abroad, 
if  Methodists  were  not  convenient,  she  made 
it  a  point  of  duty  to  worship  with  Christians  of 
other  name.  The  simplicity  and  naturalness  of 
Methodist  worship  had  a  peculiar  charm  for  her. 
No  gorgeous  architecture,  nor  painted  windows,  nor 
pealing  organs,  no  pompous  apparel  of  priests,  nor 
pews  with  velvet  lining,  impressed  her  mind  with 
any  very  high  views  of  Divine  majesty.  Her 
father  was  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends, 
and  she  inherited  a  love  of  plainness  and  neatness 
in  the  worship  of  Heaven,  but  ignored  all  para- 
phernalia of  mechanical  devotion  as  subversive  of 
that  genuine  worship  which  is  "in  spirit  and  in 
truth."  She  was,  however,  conscious  that  spiritual 
power  is  always  accompanied  with  "a/wvw  of  god- 
liness," but  knew  that  such  form  is  always  exceed- 
ingly sim[)lo,  and  of  easy  comprehension  Ijy  the 
multitude.     Plainness  in  the  sense  o^  rudeness  she 


4G  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

did  not  recognize  as  of  the  gospel ;  but  in  the  sense 
of  mmplkihj  she  cherished  it  earnestly  and  affec- 
tionately. She  loved  our  itinerant  system,  and  the 
nature  of  its  ministrations.  It  gave  her  a  fair  op- 
portunity of  analyzing  the  talent  and  attainments 
of  our  ministry,  and  of  extending,  in  a  wide  degree, 
her  sympathetic  friendship  for  our  self-denying 
preachers.  She  was  not  incapable  of  criticizing, 
justly,  the  finest  Hterary  efforts  of  the  pulpit ;  but 
did  not  believe  that  an  esmy  read  to  a  congregation 
to  secure  highly  literarfj  apparel  for  gospel  truth 
was  at  all  that  kind  of  preaching  the  apostles  and 
their  successors  were  charged  to  afford  the  world. 
She  believed  that  a  man  might  teach  by  written 
essays  read  to  a  congregation ;  but  was  decidedly 
of  opinion  that  Christ  did  not  ordain  readers  but 
preachers  of  salvation.  Exhortation  as  well  as  in- 
struction, the  language  of  passion  as  well  as  of  lexi- 
cography, expression  of  earnest  zeal  for  man's  sal- 
vation, as  well  as  a  desire  to  gratify  his  taste  for 
good  grammar,  were,  as  she  thought,  essential  ele- 
ments of  preaching.  She  deemed  divine  truth,  ex- 
pressed in  the  language  of  the  heart  by  a  divinely 
authorized  messenger,  as  far  more  agreeable  to  the 
generality  of  men  than  the  same  truth  in  laced  sen- 
tences, dovetailed  words,  and  metaphysical  tech- 
nology from  the  lips  of  a  speaking  automaton.  She 
preferred  the  eye  flashing  its  lightnings  on  the  con- 


,      LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  -17 

gregjition,  though  the  words  of  accompanying  thun- 
der were,  like  St.  Paul's,  "  rude  in  speech."  To 
gaze  at  a  speaker's  crown  rather  than  his  face ;  to 
watch  his  stooping  figure,  rather  than  a  manly  form 
in  earnest  action ;  to  notice  the  eyeballs  move  in  a 
stereotyped  style  from  the  people  to  a  scroll  below 
them ;  to  grow  weary  by  monotonous  intonation 
and  gesture ;  to  become  restless  at  the  sight  of  a 
giant  struggling  to  break  loose  with  great  thoughts, 
and  yet  fascinated  to  one  spot  by  a  paper  covered 
with  hieroglyphs,  made  her  nervous  for  the  cause  of 
sinners  and  of  Christianity.  She  loved  that  preach- 
ing which  was  earnest,  and  knew  that  it  required 
far  more  intellect  to  remember  and  enforce  burning 
thoughts  orally  and  ad  lihituni,  than  to  write^them 
in  cold  blood  and  read  them  with  a  frozen  voice 
and  crippled  expression.  Animation,  zeal,  and  fire 
are  always  compromised  by  any  close  attempts  at 
literary  accuracy  in  public  speaking,  and  there  is 
no  mortal  power  can  prevent  such  a  result.  And 
while  the  public  speaker  will  never  be  criticized  by 
the  same  rules  that  are  applied  to  an  essayist  or 
reader ;  and  while  thoughts  of  fire  and  words  of 
flame,  however  inaccurate  in  rhetoric,  will  always 
wield  more  power  than  a  polished  lecture^  the 
preacher  as  an  agent  to  save  sinners  is  under  oljli- 
gatioiis  to  confine  himself  io  ]>7-eaehinfj  rather  than 
read'uKj.    xMrs.  Norton's  preferences  fur  the  earnest 


48  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

man,  in  spite  of  his  occasional  inelegancies  of  dic- 
tion, is  to  be  commended,  and  we  trust  that  such  a 
truly  Mcthodistic  taste  will  never  be  perverted  in 
our  Church  by  aspirants  after  literary  glory. 

The  Methodist  ministry,  like  the  college  of  the 
apostles,  embraces  every  variety  of  talent,  culture, 
and  natural  temperament.  It  has  its  sons  of 
thunder,  and  pathetic  preachers,  like  John,  and 
its  literary  giants,  like  Paul;  and  Paul,  Apollos, 
and  Peter  are  all  our  ministry,  by  whom  we  have 
believed. 

Mrs.  Norton  could  listen  with  as  much  pleasure 
to  a  simple-hearted  earnest  preacher — acquainted 
with  the  Bible,  though  of  unpolished  manners — as 
to  a  theological  Cicero,  and  often  derived  more  solid 
edification  from  the  simple  sermon  of  a  young  licen- 
tiate than  from  the  lofty  oratory  of  the  sons  of 
science.  She  did  not  stay  away  from  church  be- 
cause an  humble  brother  from  an  adjacent  circuit 
was  to  preach,  or  because  a  local  preacher  was  to 
fill  the  pulpit :  a  Ileddington  had  as  much  of 
warmth  in  his  preaching  for  her  heart  as  had  a 
Durbin,  and  though  not  quite  so  novel,  his  preach- 
ing she  thought  as  profitable  to  her  soul.  She  went 
to  church  to  worship  God,  no  matter  who  led  the 
service ;  she  was  there  as  not  neglecting  "  the  as- 
sembling of  ourselves  together,"  and  that,  when 
God's  worshippers  were  esteemed  as  jewels,  she 


LIFE     OF     MILS.    NORTON.  49 

might  be  written  in  the  book  of  remembrance ;  she 
was  there  as  one  ever  prompt  to  sustain  the  for- 
tunes of  Christianity,  and  to  testify  her  devotion 
to  Christ. 

It  is  too  often  the  case  that  professed  Christians 
visit  the  house  of  God  simply  to  hear  the  word, 
while  the  larger  duty  of  pubhc  worship  forms  little 
or  no  part  of  their  purpose. 

To  engage  in  singing  praises,  or  in  meditation, 
prayer,  and  renewal  of  their  vows,  they  seem 
exceedingly  slow;  and  if  a  favorite  preacher  is 
not  the  leader  of  the  exercises,  their  scowls  of  dis- 
approbation and  dissatisfied  looks  reveal  a  heart 
but  little  at  ease.  That  it  is  their  personal  duty 
to  add  life  to  the  devotions  of  the  hour,  they  seem 
never  to  dream ;  they  wish  to  be  delighted  by 
others,  but  without  any  reciprocity  of  favors  ;  they 
complain  of  dulness,  wdien  they  should  censure 
themselves  ;  and  speak  ill  of  the  preacher  and  the 
Church,  when  charity  should  begin  at  home.  It  is 
not  the  business  of  the  preacher  and  of  a  few  faith- 
ful officials  to  perform  all  the  worshipping :  the 
individual  members  of  the  congregation  are  under 
equal  obligations  to  perform  the  duty  of  worshij 
I»ing  God  heartily. 

There  may  be  dull  sermons,  and  lifeless  songs 
and  heartless  prayers,  occasionally ;  but  a  lifeless 
and  prayerless  peoi)le  are  enough  to  paralyze  the 
3 


j- 


o"? 


50  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

ublest  preaching,  and  the  most  fervid  address  to  a 
throne  of  grace.  It  is  not  expected  that  every 
preacher  or  every  sermon  will  be  alike  entertain- 
ing ;  but  it  is  requisite  that  OYery  Christian  should 
so  worship  God  in  the  sanctuary  as  to  feel  that  his 
soul  has  been  profited  by  being  there.  It  is  not 
the  best  sermon,  in  popular  parlance,  that  is  most 
profitable  to  the  inquirer  in  the  way  to  heaven,  or 
to  the  Christian  hungering  and  thirsting  after 
righteousness.  Many  a  preacher  who  can  scarce 
command  the  attention  of  even  the  pious  few,  will 
often,  by  his  plain  and  pointed  remarks,  bestow 
light  and  comfort  that  bless  his  hearers  for  years, 
while  they  may  have  listened  in  vain  for  such 
thoughts  from  the  tongue  of  the  more  gifted  de- 
claimer.  Mrs.  Norton  was  well  able  to  distinguish 
between  a  good  sermon  and  a  poor  one,  and  such 
as  were  food  to  her  soul  she  rightly  thought  were 
good  sermons  for  others.  For  a  gospel  sermon  she 
had  her  standard,  and  that  was  the  necessities  of 
her  own  heart ;  for  a  literary  performance,  under 
the  name  of  a  sermon,  she  had  a  literary  standard, 
and  when  there  was  a  soul  absent  from  the  latter, 
it  was  utterly  distasteful  to  her.  No  one  ever  was 
a  stronger  advocate  for  intelligence  in  the  ministry 
than  she ;  but  she  discriminated  closely  between 
vast  information  and  the  "  rightly  dividing  of  the 
word  of  truth."     A  man  thoroughly  versed  in  the 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  51 

English  Scriptures,  and  with  a  ready  utterance, 
good  sense,  and  zeal  for  the  salvation  of  sinners, 
will  often  accomplish  more  good  to  the  Church 
than  half  a  dozen  others  weighed  down  wdth  stores 
of  ancient  or  general  learning  Avithout  such  zeal. 
And  it  is  so  very  common  for  literary  preachers  to 
be  incapable  or  ashamed  of  calling  mourners,  or  of 
laboring  in  the  altar,  that  they  are  often  at  a  discount 
among'  a  people  who  look  for  results  proportionable 
to  the  capital  invested.  Mrs.  Norton  certainly 
prized  the  practically  useful  preacher  beyond  all 
others ;  and  when  such  were  in  the  pulpit  of  her 
church,  she  was  never  happier  than  in  hearing  them 
and  in  cooperating  with  their  labors  to  do  good. 

As  a  singer,  Mrs.  Norton  in  early  hfe  was  quite 
gifted  and  w^ell  disciplined.  At  the  house  of  God 
she  always  sang  as  one  that  intended  to  be  under- 
stood as  worshipping  the  Lord.  In  her  singing 
there  was  nothing  either  bold  or  shrinking.  She 
sang  to  glorify  her  Maker,  and  to  add  to  the  dig- 
nity of  the  Church  exercises,  to  edify  others,  and 
to  enliven  her  own  affections.  She  was  conscious 
that  active  participation  in  this  part  of  devotion 
was  useful  as  well  as  delightful,  and  that  it  easily 
degenerates  if  either  heloiv  or  ahove  the  tastes  of  a 
promiscuous  congregation.  Our  Discipline  has  pro- 
vided for  llie  appointment  of  regular  leaders  in 
church-singing;  and  where  such  persons  are  really 


52  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NO  U  TON. 

devotional,  and  enter  not  merely  into  the  spirit 
of  the  music,  but  also  into  that  of  the  sacred  poetry 
the  music  is  intended  to  enhven,  no  exercise  can 
be  more  exhilarating  or  profitable  to  the  heart ;  for 
prayer,  counsel,  praise,  and  exhortation  are  em- 
bodied in  our  hymns  :  our  hymn-book  is  a  full  ex- 
pose of  our  creed  and  our  theology.  Choirs  and 
congregations  rarely  harmonize  in  tastes  and  sing- 
ino: :  one  is  too  much  in  advance  of  the  other  for 
any  general  coincidence  of  theory  or  practice. 
Music,  without  congregational  devotion,  is  certainly 
out  of  place  in  a  church,  and  lifeless  tunes  ex- 
hausted of  vitality  by  a  stereotyped  repetition  in 
the  mouth  of  a  few  wilful  voluntaries  are  certainly 
as  destructive  of  devotion  as  are  choirs  when  in 
advance  of  the  people.  Did  every  one  do  as  Mrs. 
Norton,  there  would  be  far  less  of  trouble  on  these 
extremes.  Believing  it  her  duty  to  sing,  she  put 
herself  to  the  small  trouble  of  learning  new  tunes 
when  they  were  introduced  by  the  leaders,  and  in 
a  few  days  was  able  to  sing  with  them,  and  assist 
others  to  sing  also.  In  short,  as  a  woman  of  prayer 
and  praise,  Mrs.  Norton  may  be  ranked  among  the 
Hannahs  and  Annas  of  Israel ;  and  as  an  attend- 
ant upon  Church  ordinances,  she  may  be  esteemed 
a  worthy  example  to  all  Christian  ladies  of  our  re- 
fined age  and  dehcate  Christianity. 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  53 


CHAPTER   III. 

BENEFICENCE  —  SUPPORT    OF    THE    MINISTRY  —  VISITING    THE      SICK  — 
ATTENTION    TO    YOUNG    PREACHERS. 

Christian  beneficence  has  many  ramifications. 
There  are  in  the  Church  numerous  channels  through 
M-hich  Christian  charities  hberally  flow.  In  the 
support  of  the  gospel  ministry  Mrs.  Norton  seems 
to  have  entertained  in  substance  the  following  phi- 
losophical theory.  If,  upon  an  island  adjacent  to 
one  of  larger  population,  the  inhabitants  were  over- 
whelmed with  some  great  and  calamitous  sickness, 
it  would,  by  the  laws  of  humanity,  become  the 
duty  of  the  citizens  of  the  larger  isle  to  provide 
nurses,  food,  and  medicine  for  the  sick  until  they 
recovered.  This  duty  wovdd  devolve  on  one  citi- 
zen as  fully  as  upon  another :  none  could  be  ex- 
cused from  devoting  an  amount  of  time  to  this 
work  proportioned  to  that  of  every  other  one.  If, 
upon  a  fair  estimate,  it  were  found  to  require  the 
time  of  every  man  for  one  dny  out  of  every  ien  to 
attend  to  this  benevolence,  none  could  be  exoner- 
ated from  such  requisition  without  a  proper  cqui- 


54  LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

•07 

valont  or  substitute.  But  for  each  man  to  leave 
his  work  one  day  in  every  ten,  besides  being  very 
inconvenient,  would  subject  the  sufferers  to  much 
inconvenience  also,  from  want  of  skill  in  the  inex- 
perienced, and  in  loss  of  time  by  transportation, 
and  would  expose  each  successive  novice  to  the 
dangers  of  acclimation  and  contagion.  In  such 
case,  w^ere  each  man  to  spend  that  te^ith  day  at 
home,  and  in  his  own  particular  branch  of  business, 
and  devote  its  proceeds  to  employing  substitutes 
to  fill  the  place  of  nurses,  physicians,  and  stewards, 
the  wdiole  matter  would  be  placed  in  a  far  more 
advantageous  aspect.  The  nurses  and  physicians 
would,  from  day  to  day,  acquire  fresh  skill  in 
managing  the  pestilence,  and  the  sooner  bring  its 
ravages  to  a  close.  As  to  the  selection  of  the 
nurses  and  physicians,  that  should  be  left  to  the 
highest  authorities  and  best  judges  among  the  peo- 
ple. A  voluntary  tax  of  one  day's  labor  in  ten  on 
every  man  in  the  island,  paying  for  the  support 
of  proper  persons  to  care  for  the  sick,  would  be 
the  substance  of  the  proposed  plan  of  relief. 

Now  the  world  is  sick  unto  death :  the  pestilence 
of  sin  is  daily  sending  thousands  to  the  grave  un- 
visited  by  the  resurrection,  and  the  Church  of 
Mercy  is  bound  to  see  to  its  recovery.  To  effect 
this  instrumentally,  one  day's  service  in  ten  seems 
requisite  from   every  Christian.     God,  however, 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  55 

has  substituted  a  plan  by  which  the  Christian  may 
remain  at  home,  while  aids,  of  God's  own  choosing, 
are  to  go  to  the  dying,  and  Christians  remaining 
at  home  are  required  to  sustain  the  preachers  in 
their  labor  of  love. 

The  duty  of  their  maintenance  devolves  alike 
upon  all :  one  is  as  much  under  obligation  as  an- 
other to  give  one-tenth  of  his  means  for  their  sus- 
tentation ;  none  can  be  exonerated.  The  final  cre- 
dit of  the  world's  salvation  w^ill  devolve  upon  each 
Christian,  according  to  the  voluntary  gift  of  his 
time,  or  its  equivalent,  as  truly  as  upon  the 
preacher  :  the  glory  of  the  world's  redemption  will 
be  common  Christian  property. 

Entertaining  these  views,  Mrs.  Norton  was  al- 
ways equal  to  her  required  p-o  rata.  Indeed,  as 
she  knew  that  many  never  gave  according  to  the 
Divine  standard  of  duty,  she  sought  by  more  en- 
larged liberality  to  supply  the  lack  of  service  on 
their  part.  Her  means  were  large,  and  she  ex- 
tended her  gifts  to  the  outside  limits  of  her  liberal 
standard.  Iler  husband,  too,  though  not  a  mem- 
ber of  her  Church,  generally  and  promptly  seconded 
her  eflbrts,  and  gave  himself,  unostentatiously,  as 
unto  a  glorious  cause.  It  would  be  indelicate  to 
record  the  sums  she  gave ;  and  Jis  she  was  ever 
modest  and  quiet  in  her  charities,  we  pass  them 
by ;  they  are  written  in  the  book  of  Omniscience, 


56  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

and  will  appear  in  that  day  when  Christian  works 
will  be  reviewed  as  evidences  of  Christian  faith  and 
character. 

In  searching  out  and  in  visiting  the  sick,  Mrs. 
Norton  has  a  glorious  testimony.  In  this  matter 
Christ  was  her  pattern.  Were  there  any  sick  or 
in  distress  in  any  lane  or  on  any  moor,  she  was  the 
first  to  find  it  out,  and  she  was  sure  to  find  it  out. 
Her  carriage  was  often  at  their  doors,  and  it  never 
appeared  there  empty  of  comforts ;  she  was  sure 
to  carry  supplies  with  her.  "  When  the  ear  heard 
her,  then  it  blessed  her ;  and  when  the  eye  saw 
her,  it  gave  witness  to  her,  because  she  delivered 
the  poor  that  cried,  and  the  fatherless,  and  him 
that  had  none  to  help  him :  the  blessing  of  those 
that  were  ready  to  perish  came  upon  her ;  and  she 
caused  the  widow's  heart  to  sing  for  joy." 

One  example  will  suffice  to  illustrate  her  regu- 
lar interest  for  the  afflicted.  On  a  cold  night,  when 
the  frozen  snow  crackled  beneath  the  feet  of  the 
few  that  were  hardy  enough  to  be  without,  Mrs. 
Norton  made  her  way  to  her  prayer-meeting,  and 
was  the  only  lady  there.  Early  next  morning, 
before  her  pastor  had  breakfasted,  he  was  waited 
upon  by  a  maid-servant  of  Mrs.  Norton. 

"  Mr.  H,,"  said  the  servant,  "  Mistress  w^ants 
to  see  you  right  away ;  she  says,  come  before 
breakfast )  she  has  something  for  you  to  do." 


LIFE    OF    MRS.     NORTON, 


57 


Without  delay  he  visited  her  house,  and  found 
her  in  a  state  of  deep  sohcitude. 

Said  she,  "  Brother  H,  I  have  not  slept  a  mo- 
ment all  night  for  thinking  of  the  sufferings  of 
the  poor  people  of  our  city.  I  am  afraid  old  Sister 
L.  is  in  want.  Mr.  Norton  is  absent,  and  all 
the  gi'OAvn  servants  are  away,  and  I  had  no  one  to 
send  and  make  inquiry.  I  had  half  a  mind  to  go 
myself;  but  I  am  suffering  with  rheumatism,  so 
that  I  was  afraid  to  venture  out.  I  w^ant  you  to 
go  down  to  Sister  L.,  and  observe  what  she  re- 
quires for  her  comfort,  and  procure  every  thing  at 
my  expense.  If  she  needs  wood,  or  food,  or 
clothing,  or  money,  or  bedding,  or  medicine,  or  a 
doctor,  see  that  all  are  provided,  and  let  the  bills 
be  presented  to  me." 

Brother  II.  departed  with  alacrity,  and  reach- 
ing the  house  on  a  gloomy  alley,  found  every  thing 
perfectly  quiet.  After  knocking  at  the  door  awhile, 
he  was  answered  by  a  feeble  voice  to  push  hard  at 
the  door,  and  make  his  way  in.  On  entering  he 
found  not  a  spark  of  fire,  nor  a  stick  of  wood,  nor 
a  crumb  of  bread. 

"  0,"  said  Sister  L.,  "  Brother  IT.,  is  it  possi- 
ble that  any  cares  for  a  poor  old  heli»lcss  creature 
like  me  ?  I  have  been  sick  for  two  days,  and  have 
been  scarcely  al)le  to  move.     Last  night  my  last 

morsel  of  food  and  my  last  stick  of  wood  gave 
3:1: 


58  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

out,  and  I  laid  down  here  sick,  and  holding  com- 
munion with  God.  Brother  H.,  God  never  quite 
forsakes  us.  lie  always  sends  help  just  when  we 
need  it  most." 

"  But,  Sister  L.,  I  must  tell  you  that  Sister 
Norton  sent  me  here." 

"Yes,  brother,  the  Lord's  angels,  that  watch 
over  me,  touch  the  tenderest  hearts,  and  they  touch 
others,  and  I  am  fed.  They  make  somebody  think 
of  us  poor  ones  of  the  flock,  and  tell  them  to  look 
after  us.  Sometimes  the  word  is  heard  and  attended 
to  5  sometimes  it  passes  by  without  any  effect.  I 
can  never  be  grateful  enough  to  you  and  Sister 
Norton  for  your  goodness ;  but  it  is  all  from  God, 
who  hears  the  needy  when  they  cry." 

"  But  I  must  leave  you  now,  Sister  L.,  and  see 
to  it  that  you  are  made  comfortable."  Leaving  the 
house,  he  first  bought  a  large  load  of  wood,  and 
employed  a  man  to  saw  it  up  and  split  it,  and  pack 
it  safely  away.  He  then  w^ent  to  the  store  and 
procured  the  finest  and  most  excellent  blankets 
and  spreads  and  other  articles  of  furnishing  needed, 
and  having  ordered  a  physician,  he  returned  to 
Mrs.  Norton  and  reported  the  state  of  the  case. 
As  soon  as  breakfast  was  over  she  ordered  all  sorts 
of  provisions,  and,  accompanied  by  a  servant  to 
carry  them,  was  soon  at  the  bedside  of  sorrow. 
Raiment,  food,  and  nursing  were  duly  provided 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  59 

« 

under  her  care,  and  the  distresses  of  that  aged  and 
iiifirin  Christian  were  ever  afterwards  mitigated, 
by  the  hands  of  her  kind  friends. 

In  this  case,  as  in  all  others  of  a  kindred  tyi^e, 
Mrs.  Norton  was  actuated  by  the  love  of  God,  and 
b}^  her  accountability  at  the  judgment-seat  of 
Christ.  She  knew  that  "  whoso  hath  this  world's 
goods,  and  seeth  his  brother  have  need,  and  shut- 
tcth  up  his  bowels  of  compassion  towards  him, 
the  love  of  God  had  no  place  in  him."  She  under- 
stood that  "  If  a  brother  or  sister  be  naked  and 
destitute  of  daily  food,  and  one  of  you  say  unto 
them,  Depart  in  peace,  be  ye  warmed  and  fdled, 
notwithstanding  ye  give  them  not  those  things 
which  are  needful  for  the  bod}^,  it  profiteth  no- 
thing." The  sentence  of  the  last  day  was  ever 
familiar  to  her  mind,  and  she  felt  that  then  there 
would  be  no  questions  asked  as  to  her  theory  of 
religion,  or  orthodoxy  of  creed ;  but  that  a  genuine 
saving  faith  would  be  referred  to  only  in  connec- 
tion with  its  valid  fruits.  Then,  "  I  was  naked  and 
ye  clothed  me  ;  hungry,  and  ye  fed  me  ;  sick,  and 
ye  visited  me ;  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  in,"  will 
be  the  only  admitted  evidences  of  a  true  belief  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  In  view  of  these  things, 
she  labored  as  well  as  prayed  ;  she  ministered  to 
ilie  bodios  as  well  :is  to  tiie  soul,  and  all  for  the 
love  of  God. 


60  LIFE    OF     MRS.   NORTON. 

Is  it  not  to  be  feared  that  very  many  professed 
Christians  will  come  short  in  the  final  reckoning,  in 
view  of  their  illiberality  to  the  suftering  poor  of  the 
flock  of  Christ  ?  It  will  not  dothen  to  say  we  have 
enjoyed  religion  and  been  happy  in  the  love  of  God. 
Joy  and  peace  undoubtedly  attend  the  love  of  God 
in  every  heart ;  but  where  this  love  is  true,  it  is 
always  attended  by  the  fruits  of  true  benevolence. 
They  who  have  joys  without  the  practical  fruits 
of  grace,  are  those 

"  Mistaken  souls,  who  dream  of  heaven, 
And  make  an  empty  boast 
Of  inward  joys  and  sins  forgiven, 
"While  they  are  slaves  to  lust," 

It  may  be  some  charity  to  visit  any  that  are  sick, 
if  it  be  done  prudently  and  usefully  ;  but  are  not 
too  many  disposed  to  visit  such  of  the  sick  as  need 
but  little  attention  from  strangers,  while  they 
neglect  the  bedside  of  the  lonely  poor  and  really 
broken-hearted.  0,  how  it  revives  the  spirits  of 
such  to  feel  they  are  cared  for  by  others,  and  espe- 
cially to  know  that  the  love  of  Christ  inspires  the 
visitation  !  On  such  occasions  many  words  are  not 
needed;  our  simple  silent  presence,  manifesting 
sorrow  for  those  that  mourn,  is  often  far  more  em- 
phatic with  consolation  than  volumes  of  garrulity. 
On  the  part  of  Mrs.  Norton  it  needed  no  combi- 
nation of  benevolent  persons  to  stimulate  her  to 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  Gl 

duty ;  she  led  the  way  in  the  path  of  charity,  as 
every  Christian  should  do,  and  that  ^Yithout  delay- 
ing for  the  cumbersome  and  slow  operations  of  a 
"  society  of  special  charity."  Combinations  are 
exceedingly  useful  and  praiseworthy,  but  b}^  no 
means  indispensable  in  affording  comfort  to  the 
needy :  every  Christian  has  individual  as  well  as 
collective  duties,  and  no  oro-anization  can  merae 
individual  responsibility  into  aggregate  obligation. 
Each  member  of  the  Church  of  Christ  is  a  special 
vigilance  committee  of  charity,  and  the  Divine 
President  of  all  will  hold  each  disciple  strictly  ac- 
countable for  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  his  of- 
fice. While  the  ministry  of  the  Church  is  laboring 
in  every  land  for  the  regeneration  of  the  nations, 
it  would  not  be  amiss  if  Christians  everywhere 
were  to  turn  their  attention  to  doing  good  in  their 
own  immediate  vicinity.  A  religion  that  does  not 
reform  the  moral  practices  of  its  people  is  good  for 
nothing ;  nay,  it  is  really  a  curse  to  man  rather 
than  a  blessing.  And  any  system  of  religious  be- 
lief that  professes  to  bestow  high  spiritual  joy, 
and  at  the  same  time  is  not  eminently  practical  in 
regenerating  the  practices  of  society,  should  be 
discarded  as  fiilse  and  fanatical.  "  By  their  fruits 
ye  shall  know  them ;"  and  according  to  this  stand- 
ard, only  that  kind  of  Christianity  can  be  esteemed 
genuine  which  practically  docs  good  to  the  hodics 


62  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

as  well  as  the  sjnrits  of  men ;  and  whatever  reli- 
gion, under  the  Christian  name,  diminishes  Chris- 
tian fraternity,  must  be  esteemed  infernal  in  spirit 
and  origin. 

Whatever  ma^^  be  said  of  the  rectitude  of  Mrs. 
Norton's  creed  as  a  Methodist,  one  thing  is  cer- 
tain— the  overwhelming  proof  of  her  piety,  of  her 
genuine  regeneration,  was  a  consistent  and  per- 
sistent Christian  life.  Of  her  the  language  of  in- 
spiration is  appropriate,  "Many  daughters  have 
done  virtuously,  but  thou  excellest  them  all." 

Among  the  classes  of  persons  to  whom  the  at- 
tention of  Mrs.  Norton  was  sympathizingly  drawn, 
was  that  of  our  young  preachers. 

A  young  man  may  be  called  of  God  to  preach 
the  gospel,  and  may  have  a  burning  zeal  for  the 
cause  of  the  Church ;  yet  he  has  a  fiery  ordeal 
through  which  to  pass  before  he  can  stand  freely 
and  boldly  before  the  people  with  the  heavenly 
message.  Time,  practice,  and  experience  are  re- 
quisite to  amply  qualify  him  for  his  work.  The 
Spirit  of  God  may  quicken  the  mind  to  a  sense  of 
duty,  and  to  a  proper  understanding  of  the  Bible ; 
it  may  guide  into  a  thorough  understanding  of  all 
revealed  truth  ;  but  it  gives  no  new  truth,  nor  adds 
any  knowledge  to  the  sum  of  duty  already  be- 
stowed. God  has  given  his  full  message  to  the 
world  in  human  language,  and  a  knowledge  of  that 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  63 

message  is  to  be  attained  as  is  the  knowledge  of 
any  other  book  in  human  speech — that  is,  b}''  dili- 
gent study.  If  we  expect  God  to  fill  our  open 
mouths  when  we  speak,  we  must  avail  ourselves 
of  our  eyes  and  ears  in  filling  our  memory  with 
holy  lessons ;  then  the  Spirit  may  help  our  utter- 
ance— not  otherwise.  The  whole  economy  of  the 
gospel  is  opposed  to  idleness  ;  and  an  idle  preacher, 
who  reads  the  Bible  but  little,  and  spends  no  time 
in  searching  to  understand  it,  will  pray  in  vain  for 
help  in  time  of  trouble.  But  where  industry  has 
been  used,  where  the  preacher  has  lived  in  the  use 
of  the  means  preparatory  to  proclaiming  salvation, 
then  he  may  call  for  God's  help,  and  it  will  always 
come  at  the  right  emergency.  The  gift  of  speak- 
ing is  attained  by  practice ;  the  grace  of  preaching 
by  faith  and  prayer  :  both  are  as  necessary  to  suc- 
cess as  is  knowledge. 

In  the  first  years  of  a  young  preacher's  ministry, 
he  is  naturally  strained  to  the  utmost  in  forming 
hahits  of  thought,  of  investigation,  of  composition, 
and  of  speaking.  If  he  will  learn  to  speak  orally, 
and  not  read  sermons,  he  must  submit  to  the  mor- 
tljicaiion  of  many  a  failure,  and  to  the  pity  of  many 
a  supercilious  Solomon.  If  there  be  any  thing 
calculated  to  crush  out  the  vanity  of  a  young 
preacher,  it  is  the  efforts  of  his  .'ipjtrentice-years 
ill  the  ilinerancy.     If  ever  he  needs   sympathy. 


64  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

consolation,  and  encouragement,  it  is  then;  but 
unfortunately  he  then  meets  with  less  than  at  any 
other  period  of  his  life.  How  often  does  some  mor- 
tified old  crone  take  the  young  preacher  aside,  and 
advise  his  retiracy  from  the  field  as  incapable  of 
rising  above  his  imperfections  !  In  such  hours  of 
despondenc}^,  those  "hours  of  darkness"  to  the 
youthful  advocate  of  truth,  Mrs.  Norton's  house 
was  always  a  welcome  asylum,  and  her  cheering 
conversation  as  a  spring  of  refreshing  waters  in  the 
midst  of  the  sultry  desert  of  trouble.  Some  young 
preachers  we  wot  of,  almost  wishing  themselves 
dead  through  discouragement,  have  escaped  from 
their  work  for  a  season  to  obtain  a  little  comfort  at 
her  hospitable  fireside,  and  from  her  words  of  hope- 
ful exhortation.  Before  Bascom  began  his  ministry 
she  was  in  the  Church,  and  after  he  began  to 
preach  was  always  among  his  most  -constant 
friends,  and  one  too  that  he  ever  prized  as  a  friend 
in  hours  of  trouble.  Dr.  Tomlinson,  while  a  youth 
at  the  university,  was  her  protege,  and  had  a  gra- 
tuitous home  at  her  house ;  and  the  room  he  occu- 
pied is  still  visited  by  preachers  in  memory  of  the 
benevolence  of  its  former  owner.  Her  house  was 
in  truth  a  ^'' prcaclier  s  home','  and  especially  for  the 
younger  members  of  the  fraternity. 

Aside  from  their  regular  suj)port,  her  preachers 
frequently  shared  her  Hberality,  and  many  a  dis- 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  65 

tant  brother  has  had  cause  to  bless  her  thoughtful 
benevolence  in  seasons  of  want.  In  fine,  she  was 
known  by  her  deeds  in  every  department  of  cha- 
rity, not  as  an  ostentatious  giver,  but  as  one  whose 
'*'  hght  so  shone  that  others,  seeing  her  good  works, 
gave  God  the  glory."  In  addition  to  Mrs.  Nor- 
ton's private  devotion  to  the  cause  of  benevolence, 
we  find  her  associated  with  others  in  works  of 
charity.  For  many  years  before  her  death  she  was 
president  of  the  "  Ladies  Sewing  Society,"  and 
also  of  the  "  Benevolent  Society  of  Lexington." 
Like  Tabitha  of  old,  she  was  the  practical  friend 
of  the  poor,  and  many  a  garment  might  be  shown 
wrought  by  her  own  hands  for  the  comfort  of  the 
needy.  Writing  of  the  Benevolent  Association,  she 
says,  "  Its  leading  design  has  been,  and  now  is,  to 
elevate  the  character  and  condition  of  the  indigent 
classes,  and  especially  of  indigent  females ;  to 
lessen  the  tendencies  to  an  evil  course  of  life,  and  to 
inspire  a  love  of  honest  industry,  and  that  of  self- 
respect  and  an  independent  spirit,  without  which  all 
attempts  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the  poor 
will  prove  abortive." 

In  the  work  of  benevolence  Mr.  Norton  always 
unobtrusively  aided  his  wife.  lie  did  not  believe 
that  almsgiving  was  always  a  charity  ;  but  that  the 
giving  of  employment  to  others,  and  the  cultivation 
of  independence  of  spirit  in  the  poor,  was  the  true 


66  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

course  for  philanthropy.  We  find,  however,  among 
her  correspondents  many  thanks  through  her  to 
him  for  his  generous  donations  and  perpetual  as- 
sistance. One  incident  will  illustrate  his  charac- 
teristic charity.  Dr.  Huston  was  once  entering 
the  church  to  deUver  an  address  on  behalf  of  the 
"  Provident  Association,"  in  Lexington.  A  gen- 
tleman stopped  him  and  said,  "  Do  try  and  squeeze 
twelve  and  a  half  cents  out  of  Johnny  Norton." 
When  the  subscription  was  taken  up  at  the  close 
of  the  exercises,  among  other  things  found  was  a 
deed  conveying  a  house  and  lot  to  the  society  from 
Mr.  John  Norton.  Neither  Mr.  Norton  nor  his 
wife  seems  ever  to  have  had  fuhlic  credit  for  any 
thing  like  the  real  amount  of  their  charities.  God 
knows  them  all. 

LETTER   FROM   DR.   TOMLINSON. 

Lexington,  October  4,  1824. 

Mr.  AND  Mrs.  Norton  : 

Suffer  me  to  call  you  my  benefactor  and  bene- 
factress, and  do  me  the  fovor  to  accept  through 
this  channel  the  offering  of  my  unfeigned  gratitude 
for  your  unaffected  kindness  towards  myself,  in 
granting  me  a  place  in  your  family  for  the  last 
eighteen  months,  and,  above  all,  for  a  share  in  your 
solicitude  and  regard. 

I  have,  however,  to  reproach  myself  for  not 
having  exerted  my  powers  more  dihgently  to  de- 


i  LIFEOF     MRS.    NORTON.  67 

serve  such  distinguished  attention.  It  neverthe- 
less affords  me  a  pleasure  to  reflect  that  the  A'alue 
of  your  generosity  (to  which  I  now  most  gratefully 
refer)  will  not  be  estimated  in  the  view  of  the  great 
Benefactor  by  the  unworthiness  of  the  subject  to- 
Avards  Avhom  it  has  been  exercised,  but  by  the 
purity  of  the  intention  by  which  I  am  assured  it  has 
been  prompted. 

I  cannot  better  take  this  my  affectionate  leave 
of  you  than  by  cordially  commending  you  to  the 
continued  guardianship  of  Him  whose  disinterested 
goodness  you  have  so  strikingly  exemplified  in  the 
instance  which  is  now  and  ever  will  be  remem- 
bered with  sentiments  of  the  most  unquahfied 
friendship  and  respect,  by 

Your  very  much  obliged  and  obedient  servant, 

Joseph  Smith  Tomlinson. 

The  solicitude  of  these  generous  people,  to  which 
Mr.  Tomlinson  above  refers,  is  often  alluded  to  in 
subsequent  letters.  In  1837,  he  says,  among  other 
tilings,  "I  am  amazed  to  find  myself  sprinkled  with 
gray  hairs  and  surrounded  witli  almost  a  numer- 
ous family.  I  have  lived  out  more  than  half  my 
days.  ...  I  shall  always  regret  that  I  did  not  take 
your  advice  to  be  more  moderate,  and  indulge 
more  in  tbe  pleasures  and  relaxations  of  social  in- 
tercourse.    I    now    believe   it  would   have   been 


68  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

justly  to  my  advantage  in  a  mental  and  spiritual, 
not  less  than  in  a  physical  point  of  view.  My  con- 
stitution was  seriously  and  perhaps  irreparably 
injured  by  my  sedentary  habits  and  intense  study 
while  at  the  University. 

"  I  was  elected  to  a  professorship  in  Randolph 
Macon  College,  and  Dickinson,  with  a  salary  of  one 
thousand  dollars  and  a  house.  I  had  made  up  my 
mind  to  go  to  Dickinson  College,  but  our  trustees 
(Augusta  College)  and  my  colleagues  in  the  fa- 
culty remonstrated  most  strenuously  against  it 
etc. 


5) 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  69 


CHAPTER   IV. 

LIBERALITY  OF    SENTIMENT CAMP-MEETINGS — BAPTISM — DIVERSIONS. 

A  Christian  is  known  by  his  catholic  spirit ;  a 
bigot  by  his  exchisiveness.  The  heart  of  the  one  is 
enlarged  like  the  universe  ;  to  the  other  the  radius 
of  a  mustard-seed  is  vast  as  eternity.  The  former, 
pure  as  the  snow,  like  it  absorbing  the  rays  of  the 
sun,  is  lifted  by  them  to  range  ethereal  realms,  to 
glitter  in  the  rainbow,  to  descend  in  pearly  dew, 
and  to  condjine  with  every  life-sustaining  work  of 
nature,  and  weave  a  halo  of  glory  around  all  cre- 
ated beauty.  The  latter,  like  the  iris  of  a  vam- 
pire, expands  so  much  by  the  light  of  day,  that  the 
pupil  dwindles  to  a  microscopic  line,  while  each 
infinitesimal  ray  that  falls  upon  the  retina  is  full 
of  irritating  pain. 

]5igotry  is  the  offspring  not  always  so  much  of 
limited  knowledge  as  of  limifod  intellect.  Some- 
times it  springs  from  pride  of  opinion,  from  self-im- 
jiortance,  and  from  an  un))alanccd  development  of 
conscientiousness  and  local  associations.  A  mind 
with  a  tortoise  eye,  or  of  microscopic  nerve,  is  often 


70  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

iiicnpablo  of  telescopic  range  of  sight,  or  of  em- 
bracing large  views.  As  a  mind  capable  of  gene- 
ralization is  always  liberal  in  sentiment,  so  one  de- 
nied such  conformation  is  naturally  illiberal:  a  bigot 
from  this  cause  is  less  to  be  blamed  than  pitied. 
The  person  who  is  afftliated  to  a  particular  party, 
who  hears  the  sentiments  of  his  own  partisans  ex- 
clusively, is  prone  to  think  all  others  immersed  in 
folly,  and  that  wisdom  will  die  with  his  own  peo- 
ple. This  prejudice  begets  antipathies  to  all  others 
but  of  its  own  tastes  ;  matters  of  taste  and  opinion 
become  gradually  articles  of  ftxith,  and  all  others 
not  of  its  synagogue  are  given  over,  in  its  estima- 
tion, to  strong  delusion  to  believe  a  lie.  It  re- 
quires a  strong  mind  and  the  most  enlarged  charity 
in  Christians  of  different  names,  to  avert  the  growth 
of  bigotry  in  the  heart. 

Mrs.  Norton  had  studied  this  tendency  tho- 
roughly, and  had  set  herself  strongly  against  it. 
She  learned  to  discriminate  clearly  and  fully  be- 
tween articles  of  faith  and  matters  of  opinion  ;  be- 
tween sentiments  of  taste  and  those  of  religion.  In 
articles  of  faith  she  was  well  informed,  and  as  in- 
flexible as  adamant :  in  matters  of  opinion  she  was 
intelligent  and  decided,  but  courteous  and  charita- 
ble to  those  of  dissimilar  views.  As  a  Christian, 
she  affiliated  with  all  those  who  practically  be- 
lieved in  "  repentance  towards  God,  and  faith  in 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  71 

our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  They  might  differ  \Yilh 
her  about  reprobation,  election,  and  the  final  per- 
severance of  the  saints,  on  apostohc  succession, 
baptism,  and  other  ordinances,  but  while  they 
showed  a  sincere  desire  to  please  God  and  over- 
come the  world,  she  esteemed  them  as  fellow-heirs 
of  the  grace  of  God,  and  cordially  greeted  them  as 
true  Christians.  In  writing  to  some  young  Chris- 
tians, Mrs.  Norton  says : 

'•'  I  have  neither  time  nor  room  to  give  you  my 
experience  on  holiness  of  heart,  but  refer  you  for 
it  to  the  17th  and  18th  verses  of  the  forty-eighth 
chapter  of  Isaiah.  These  I  have  read,  and  even 
now  read,  with  tears  of  deep  penitential  sorrow. 
Hearken,  my  dear  young  friends,  0  hearken  to  the 
commands  of  God  ;  then,  indeed,  as  I  know  for  my- 
self, your  '  peace  will  flow  as  a  river,  and  your 
righteousness  as  the  waves  of  the  sea.'  I  am  truly 
thankful  you  have  been  led  into  the  Methodist 
Church.  While  I  kiioic,  and  rejoice  to  hioiv,  there 
are  good  Christians  among  all  evangehcal  denomi- 
nations of  Christians,  I  must  prize  the  iwivilegcB 
of  the  Methodist  Church  before  any  and  all.  Its 
doctrines  of  faith  are  attended  with  no  mystery, 
and  are  preached plainli/  ;  all  can  understand  them. 
Above  all,  the  soul-reviving  doctrine  of  Chrisiian 
holiness  is  constantly  inculcated  in  our  Church.   We 


72  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

can,  as  we  believe,  attain  even  here  to  the  blessed- 
ness of  the  pure  in  heart." 

Here  we  clearly  observe  strong  denominational 
preference,  but  not  the  least  bigotry.  As  a  Me- 
thodist she  was  decided  and  earnest,  and  strove 
zealously  to  advance  the  interests  of  her  Church. 
This  conduct  was  Christian  and  praiseworthy.  The 
Church  of  Christ  is  a  grand  army  of  various  sepa- 
rate divisions.  To  effect  the  greatest  good  to  the 
whole,  each  soldier  must  necessarilv  do  the  utmost 
for  his  particular  division,  brigade,  regiment,  or 
company.  Were  each,  under  a  mistaken  notion 
of  good  to  the  whole,  to  labor  for  the  special  credit 
of  other  companies  than  his  own,  his  duty  to  his 
particular  band  would  be  permitted  to  suffer,  and 
in  that  way  the  good  of  the  whole  would  be  jeop- 
ardized, and  anarchy  rather  than  order  would  rule 
the  hour.  To  effect  the  greatest  good  for  any  com- 
pound work,  the  laborer  must  attend  specially  to 
the  perfection  of  his  part ;  this  must  engage  his 
zeal,  his  skill,  and  his  ambition.  An  army  of  men 
in  building  a  city  wall,  is  always  so  divided  to  the 
task  before  it,  that  each  subsection  has  a  definite 
work  to  do,  and  each  soldier  a  definite  part  of  this 
subsection  to  labor  upon ;  and  by  this  division  of 
toil  the  Vv^hole  is  more  rapidly  and  skilfully  com- 
pleted. 

To   accomplish  the  most   in  a  Sabbath-school, 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  73 

each  teacher  must  attend  to  the  interests  of  his 
special  class,  and  labor  to  bring  it  to  the  highest 
state  of  prosperity.  In  a  city  of  many  stations, 
each  pastor  is  obligated  to  attend  to  the  advance- 
ment of  his  own  charge,  and  so  also  is  each  mem- 
ber. The  same  principle  holds  true  of  each  Con- 
ference of  our  entire  organization,  and  of  each  divi- 
sion of  the  Methodist  Church  in  the  North  and  in 
the  South,  in  Canada,  Great  Britain,  and  Austra- 
lia, and,  indeed,  of  all  denominations  of  Christians. 
Each  member  of  the  Church  of  our  Lord  does  the 
most  for  its  general  good,  by  laboring  steadfastly 
for  the  special  prosperity  of  that  branch  of  the 
Church  with  which  he  is  most  directly  connected. 
Mrs.  Norton,  therefore,  by  laboring  most  to  build 
u\)  her  own  denomination,  did  more  for  the  cause  of 
Clirist  generally,  than  she  could  have  done  had 
she  pursued  a  different  course.  In  persuading 
worldly  people  to  become  Methodists,  she  per- 
suaded them  to  become  Christians,  and  thus  se- 
cured their  salvation  and  attachment  to  the  Church 
general,  by  leading  them  to  unite  with  one  of  its 
accredited  hranches.  In  doing  this  she  infringed 
the  rights  of  none,  nor  was  she  chargeable  \\\\\\ 
any  uncharitable  exclusivoness.  Proselyting  to 
her  denominational  dogmas  she  regarded  both  as 
ungenerous  and  unchristian.  Such  conduct  she 
was  well  aware  could  si)ring  only  from  a  desire  to 
4 


74l  life     of     MRS.    NORTON. 

glory  in  local  numbers,  rather  than  in  the  cross 
of  Christ,  and  she  held  it  in  utter  disdain,  as  both 
dishonest  and  dishonorable.  If  persons  from  other 
denominations  chose  voluntarily  to  embrace  her 
views,  and  unite  with  her  people,  she  received 
them  with  cordiahty,  but  never  with  glorying  or 
exultation.  To  win  a  soul  from  the  gall  of  bitter- 
ness and  bonds  of  iniquity  was  cause  to  her  of  the 
greatest  gratification ;  but  to  purloin  a  lamb  from 
the  fold  of  another  Christian  people  she  did  not 
deem  a  matter  of  special  rejoicing.  She  sym- 
pathized in  the  prosperity  of  other  evangelical 
Churches,  and  their  dechne  was  to  her  no  secret 
cause  of  envious  pleasure — in  their  decadence 
she  felt  that  Christianity  was  losing  ground.  At- 
tempts to  proselyte  her  she  silenced  by  dignified 
reserve,  and  a  courteous  but  thorough  contempt : 
her  firmness  of  attachment  to  Methodism  was  im- 
pregnable to  assault.  The  following  conversations 
Avith  Baptist,  Presbyterian,  Episcopahan,  and  other 
ladies,  will  shed  light  on  her  views  of  the  usages 
as  well  as  the  doctrines  of  her  denomination. 

CONVERSATION   AT  SPRINGS CAMP-MEETINGS. 

Mrs.  Prince.  I  think,  Mrs.  Norton,  I  once  saw 
you  at  a  camp-meeting  as  I  passed  through  Logan. 

Mrs.  Norton.  Possibly  you  did,  Mrs.  Prince.  I 
often  visit  my  husband's  relatives  in  that  county, 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  /O 

anil,  ^vith  some  of  my  old  friends,  go  to  Clifty 
or  Ash-Spring,  to  spend  a  few  days  in  religious 
enjo^^ment. 

Mrs.  p.  Well,  really,  Mrs.  Norton,  I  am  sorry 
to  say  it  to  you,  but  I  was  never  able  to  see  what 
enjoyment  there  could  be  at  a  camp-meeting.  There 
is  so  much  confusion,  so  much  noise,  so  much  ap- 
parent if  not  real  disorder,  that  it  seemed  like  any 
other  place  than  one  appropriate  to  rehgious  medi- 
tation. 

Mrs.  N.  But  you  know,  Mrs.  Prince,  we  are 
creatures  of  habit,  and  have  very  diverse  tastes, 
even  in  religious  matters.  You  Presbyterians  are 
always  for  quiet  and  meditation.  We  Methodists 
believe  in  self-examination  and  cdmness  as  much 
as  you  do ;  but  we  think  there  is  a  time  for  all 
things.  A  camp-meeting  Avith  us  is  a  battle-field  ; 
it  is  a  place  and  an  occasion  for  action,  and  not  for 
so  much  of  meditation.  As  for  the  noise  and  con- 
fusion, these,  as  far  as  they  occur,  are  incidental 
to  all  great  assemblies.  The  thousands  who  fol- 
lowed Christ,  you  recollect,  must  have  appeared 
quite  disorderly,  according  to  your  conceptions. 
We  read  that  they  marched  with  him  in  promis- 
cuous crowds,  and  are  described  as  ninnin(j  to- 
gether on  various  occasions,  amid  the  greatest  ex- 
citement and  wild  enthusiasm,  to  witness  his  mira- 
cles, and  to  wonder  at  the  shoutings,  and  leapings, 


76  LIFE    OF     MRS.  NORTON. 

and  praises  of  the  converted  and  restored.  I  think, 
Mrs.  Prince,  there  must  have  been  some  dust  and 
noise,  and  no  httle  irregularity,  in  those  assembhes. 
Do  you  think  you  would  have  enjoyed  a  place  in 
the  crowds  around  the  Saviour,  Mrs.  Prince  ? 

"  Yes,  Mrs.  Norton,  I  think  I  should,  though  I 
prefer  a  calmer  state  of  things." 

"Ah,  Mrs.  P.,  I  know  you  would,  after  all,  have 
been  as  much  excited  as  any  in  the  Lord's  com- 
pany. The  truth  is,  every  one  delights  in  excite- 
ment, and  especially  if  it  be  pleasurable.  I  love 
a  camp-meeting  because  of  its  animation.  I  dislike 
a  dull  life  exceedingly.  During  the  camp-meeting 
exercises  there  are  always  hours  of  the  profoundest 
quiet  and  solemnity,  of  meditation  and  pathos,  of 
sadness  and  joy.  It  is  a  meeting  that  gradually 
absorbs  all  other  thoughts,  and  the  eternal  world 
finally  engrosses  the  profoundest  attention.  Many 
that  never  hear  the  gospel  elsewhere,  attend  upon 
it  here ;  and  it  is  one  of  those  happy  means  em- 
braced by  our  people  of  bringing  the  gospel  into 
the  highways  and  hedges,  and  compelling  men  to 
hear  the  invitations  of  Mercy." 

"  But,  Mrs.  Norton,  your  camp-meeting  converts 
are,  many  of  them,  like  the  morning  cloud  and  early 
dew,  and  much  of  your  zealous  labors  are  unfor- 
tunate." 

"  That  may  be  true,  Mrs.  Prince ;  but  is  that  a 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  77 

reason  for  cessation  of  labor  for  the  lost  ?  Of  those 
brought  to  your  Church  directly  from  the  ivorld,  as 
are  most  of  our  converts,  you  will  find  as  great  a 
proportion  who  have  been  unfortunate  as  with  us. 
I  happen  to  have  had  a  peep  at  several  of  your 
church  books,  and  I  was  no  little  astonished  to  find 
there  so  large  a  number  of  backsliders  from  the  way 
of  life.  You,  who  are  always  twitting  us  on  the 
instability  of  some  of  our  new  converts,  would  find 
ample  food  for  reflection  at  home,  were  your  poll- 
books  revised  as  often  as  ours  are.  But  the  exist- 
ence of  backsliders  is  to  be  lamented  and  not 
exulted  over,  or  appealed  to  as  a  witness  of  mis- 
directed zeal.  The  net  of  the  gospel,  you  recoflect, 
was  cast  into  the  sea,  and  gathered  good  and  bad 
of  every  kind ;  and  when  drawn  to  shore,  the  good 
were  put  in  vessels,  and  the  worthless  cast  away. 
According  to  your  theory,  Mrs.  Prince,  the  gospel 
net  should  have  been  used  only  to  drag  out  fishes 
known  to  be  perfectly  good.  We  are  satisfied  to 
follow  the  sense  of  the  Saviour's  parable,  and  to 
cast  the  net  into  all  waters,  and  then  undergo  the 
humble  process  of  assorting  good  and  evil.  We 
always  get  some  good  fish,  INlrs.  Prince,  though 
some  appear  in  the  net  without  gills  or  scales  ;  but 
those  who  are  afniid  to  cast  the  net  for  fear  of  en- 
trapi)ing  monsters,  are  often  dependent  for  sup- 
pfies  upon  us  poor  Methodist  fishers  of  Gahlee.    I 


78  LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

will  tell  you,  Mrs.  Prince,  how  I  came  to  love 
camp-meetings.  I  visited  one  with  prejudice.  At 
night  I  lay  down  to  take  a  little  rest,  but  found 
it  impossible,  from  the  excitements  of  the  occasion, 
to  go  to  sleep.  The  moon  was  at  the  full,  and 
sailed  at  meridian  height  above  the  forest.  Its 
broad  rays,  streaming  downward  through  the  trees, 
covered  the  ground  with  enchanting  figures  of  light 
and  shade.  The  preaching  had  ceased ;  the  suc- 
ceeding prayer-meeting  was  ended,  and  the  congre- 
gation had  retired  to  their  tents  :  the  midnight 
hour  had  come,  and  was  serene  even  to  fascination. 
The  air  was  unusually  balmy,  and  not  a  breath 
disturbed  the  peaceful  scene.  I  leaned  my  head 
out  of  the  window  of  the  tent  to  admire  the  won- 
derful tranquillity.  Around  me  was  a  tented  army 
of  pilgrims  to  eternity ;  beyond  were  dimly  seen 
the  summits  of  lofty  hills,  fathoming  the  depths 
of  the  blue  ocean  above,  and  leaning  against  the 
moon.  The  encampment  below  seemed  connected 
with  the  Mount  Zion  above  by  a  tangible  and  ma- 
terial highway.  The  communication  between  Ja- 
cob's camp  at  Bethel  and  the  gates  of  heaven 
above  by  the  ladder  and  the  angels,  was  scarcely 
more  poetic  and  gorgeous  than  seemed  the  scene 
around  me,  so  draped  was  it  in  hght,  and  so  holy 
in  its  single  object.  While  rapt  in  a  revery  of  ad- 
miration, I  fell  into  a  slumber,  and  dreamed  of  harp 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  79 

and  song,  of  victory  and  diadems.  I  saw  the 
tented  host  pass  the  gorges  and  the  chfFs  of  the 
eternal  hills,  march  by  the  moon  with  songs,  and 
enter  a  halo  of  glory  so  bright  that  my  eyes  could 
not  follow  them.  I  could  hear  their  song  sinking 
deeper  and  fainter  into  the  realms  of  immortal  tri- 
umph, but  their  forms  I  saw  no  more.  Roused, 
gradually,  from  my  dream,  I  heard  a  song  among 
the  hills  "  by  distance  made  more  sweet."  Anon 
it  sunk  and  rose,  and  was  full  enough  of  power  to 
impress  me  as  the  voice  of  a  glorious  multitude. 
Now  its  echoes  floated  away  among  the  chasms  of 
the  wilds,  like  beautiful  clouds  borne  from  the 
parent  mass  by  the  fleet  winds.  Now  it  melted, 
softer  and  softer,  till  it  mingled  with  the  silent 
light  above  it.  Now  it  broke  across  the  valley  like 
the  strong  peal  of  a  trumpet,  and  then  sunk  again 
into  the  faintest  murmurs  of  melody.  I  was  moved, 
absorbed,  charmed,  and  bewildered ;  then  I  slept 
and  dreamed  again.  Suddenly  the  shock  of  a  glo- 
rious tide  of  flying  song  startled  me  to  my  feet. 
Below  me  the  cneampnicnt  was  all  alive  with  an 
army  of  h;ippy  Christians  moving  among  the  aisles 
and  checkered  shades  with  hasting  feet.  Their 
song  was  as  that  of  the  angels  to  the  -she^jhcrds, 
and  the  star  of  Bethlehem  seemed  to  lead  their 
van.  A  thrill  of  ivipture  came  over  me;  projudice 
vanished    like    smoke ;    I  shouted  glory,  without 


80  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

waiting  for  an  invitation.  I  heard  them  sing, '  Come 
along,  come  along,  and  let  us  go  home ;'  and,  poor 
orphan  as  I  was,  I  ran  from  the  tent  with  my  com- 
pany to  join  their  numbers,  and  follow  after  my 
fother  and  my  mother  to  the  skies.  I  tell  you, 
Mrs.  Prince,  a  camp-meeting  is  a  glorious  place  to 
me ;  I  love  it;  and  though  you  may  have  no  taste 
for  it,  yet  I  think  it  is  because  you  never  saw  one 
under  favorable  circumstances.  I  am  for  camp- 
meetings,  Mrs.  Prince.  I  am  certainly  not  ashamed 
of  that  part  of  Methodism,  I  assure  you ;  I  glory 
in  it." 

"  Well,  Mrs.  Norton,  so  you  manage  them  pru- 
dently, I  hope  they  will  do  good." 

"  We  ought,  Mrs.  Prince,  to  have  as  much  cre- 
dit for  common  sense  as  any  other  people ;  and  if 
we  fail  in  prudence,  it  is  not  unlikely  that  others 
might  also.  But,  Mrs.  Prince,  camp-meetings  be- 
gan with  your  people,  and  their  perpetuation  is  not 
so  much  a  matter  of  faith  as  of  expediency.  Allow 
another  camp  scene,  and  I  will  change  the  conver- 
sation. At  a  meeting  where  the  encampment  was 
in  a  valley,  there  was,  among  other  ladies,  one  of 
unusual  attractiveness.  Her  person  was  elegant, 
and  her  fice  of  singular  beauty.  Joined  to  accom- 
plished manners  was  the  spirit  of  fervid  piety.  She 
was  sedate,  modest,  and  lovely.  As  a  singer,  her 
voice  possessed  remarkable  sweetness  and  power; 


LIFE     OF     MRS.   NORTON.  81 

it  was  strong  without  being  masculine,  and  shrill 
without  harshness.  One  beautiful  evening,  after 
service,  the  ladies,  in  promiscuous  groups,  separat- 
iuii;  themselves  from  the  listless  crowds  about  the 
tents,  ascended  a  hill  on  the  east,  and  met  in  prayer 
ill  the  heavy  woods  beyond.  After  the  lapse  of 
an  hour  or  so,  their  united,  voices  were  heard,' 
making  the  woody  arches  ring  with  joy.  It  was 
obvious  that  the  company  was  in  motion  towards  the 
encampment,  and  the  people  began,  instinctively 
and  simultaneously,  to  move  in  the  direction  of  the 
approaching  throng.  They  looked  toward  the  hill- 
top, and  observed  that  the  rays  of  the  sun  were 
covering  the  trees  with  a  perfect  mantle  of  light. 
The  reflection,  indeed,  was  so  strong  that  the  air 
itself  was  seemingly  thickened  with  a  flood  of 
splendor,  and  it  was  painful  to  look  in  that  direc- 
tion. Towards  this  cloud  of  glory  the  marching 
crowd  was  advancing  with  shout  and  song.  Pre- 
sently the  van  emerged,  and  the  baptism  of  light 
upon  their  heads  and  forms  seemed  like  the  illus- 
trious gleam  of  glory  that  faith  beholds  descend 
upon  the  armies  of  Israel  as  they  enter  the  gates 
of  heaven  when  their  warfare  is  ended.  The  lady 
of  whom  I  have  spoken  was  leading  the  compan}^ 
.She  was  dressed  in  w^hitc,  and  one  in  like  apparel 
was  on  either  side.  Her  graceful  form  w\as  erect 
on  tiptoe ;  her  head  was  thrown  back,  her  glossy 

4=!: 


82  LIFE    OV    MRS.    NO  11  TON. 

hair  was  streaming  in  the  wind ;  her  face  shone 
like  an  angel's,  and  the  song  she  sung  was  full  of 
electric  emotion.  The  first  intelligible  words  heard 
iu  the  distance  were, 

'  Who  is  like  .Jesus?  he  is  Salem's  bright  King;  ' 
He  smiles  and  he  loves  me,  and  calls  me  to  sing : 
I'll  praise  him !  I'll  praise  him  with  notes  loud  and  shrill, 
While  rivers  of  pleasure  my  spirit  shall  fill.' 

The  solemnity  of  the  occasion,  the  wildness  of  the 
scenery,  the  splendid  harmony  of  nature  with  the 
Christian  emotions  already  awakened,  together 
with  the  theme  of  the  hymn,  so  forcibly  reminded 
every  one  of  the  glory  and  music  with  which  the 
Christian  shall  march  to  the  summit  of  Mount 
Zion,  that  every  eye  was  bathed  in  tears,  and  every 
soul  within  hearing  was  thrilled  with  the  .sublimest 
feehngs  that  ever  visit  the  hopes  and  hearts  of 
mortals  in  the  valley  of  tears.  The  children  ran 
out  to  partake  of  the  excitement,  the  servants  for- 
sook their  employment,  the  tahles  were  left  half- 
spread,  and  the  suppers  unprepared;  the  whole 
encampment,  hke  old  Jerusalem,  was  moved  at  the 
cries  of  hosanna  from  the  hps  of  young  men  and 
maidens,  old  men  and  children,  as  they  hailed  the 
shout  of  a  king  among  the  tents  of  Jacob.  You 
may  talk  about  animal  excitement,  Mrs.  Prince, 
but  this  excitement  was  celestial;  it  moved  the 
bodies  of  those  that  had  souls,  but  the  soul  took 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  83 

the  lead.  You  may  love  a  demure  way  of  getting 
to  the  kingdom,  but  I  love  a  foretaste  of  the  joys 
above.  I  love  such  scenes ;  I  love  to  enjoy  the 
frames  of  mind  they  inspire,  and  the  memories  of 
gTace  they  bestow.  I  love  camp-meeting  songs ; 
they  may  often  be  rude  in  structure,  but  they  are 
polished  by  their  own  inspiring  nature ;  they  are 
the  hj^mns  of  the  heart :  by  their  very  repetition 
they  '  burn  their  glorious  thoughts  into  the  soul.' 
Camp-meetings,  my  friend,  are  full  of  poetry,  of 
ardor,  of  rapture,  and  usefulness  ;  and  though  I  am 
a  poor  defender  of  any  thing,  yet  I  assure  you 
my  heart  is  always  in  ftivor  of  a  good  camp-meet- 
ing. I  frequently  travel  a  hundred  miles  to  be  at 
one  in  its  true  simpHcity.  Excuse  me,  Mrs.  P.,  but 
I  hope  you  may  yet  form  a  good  opinion  of  them." 

CONVERSATION    ON    BAPTISM. 

On  another  occasion,  in  company  with  a  Baptist 
sister,  she  w\as  called  upon  to  vindicate  her  Method- 
ist preferences. 

"  I  think,  Mrs.  Johns,  that  you  spoke  unkindly 
of  our  usages.  You  say  that  Methodists  are  a  good 
.people,  but  you  pity  their  ignorance.  Now  I  should 
like  to  be  set  right  if  I  am  in  error." 

"  I  rcjilly  meant  no  oifoncc,  Mrs.  Norton  ;  but  I 
h;iv('  boon  taught  to  believe  lliat  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  bM[)lism  aside  (Voni   immersion;  and  of 


84  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

course  I  tliink  you  are  in  a  grave  error.  I  really 
cannot  see  how  you  believe  that  any  other  mode 
is  baptism  at  all." 

"  Well,  really,  Mrs.  Johns,  I  am  certain  of  one 
thing  on  that  matter,  and  that  is,  that  Christ  him- 
self baptized  by  pouring,  and  there  is  no  proof  that 
he  baptized  in  any  other  style." 

"  I  never  heard  of  that  before,  Mrs.  Norton,  and 
would  like  to  be  informed  of  the  place  where  such 
a  fact  is  stated." 

"  It  is  elaborately  stated  in  the  second  chapter 
of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  madam." 

"  What  does  that  say,  Mrs.  Norton  ?" 

"  It  states  that  Christ  poured  out  the  Holy 
Ghost  upon  the  disciples,  and  that  Christ  called 
this  pouring  of  the  Spirit  the  baptism  of  the 
Spirit." 

'"Ah,  my  dear  friend,  but  that  was  not  water  bap- 
tism." 

'•'  True  enough ;  but  it  was  a  laptism,  and  quite 
as  important  a  one,  particularly  as  it  was  performed 
by  Christ  himself.  It  shows  the  7node  in  which 
baptism  was  performed  at  the  first  hour  of  the  in- 
auguration of  the  dispensation  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  there  is  not  another  place  in  Scripture  where 
the  mode  of  baptism  is  ever  described." 

"Ah,  but,  Mrs.  Norton,  the  word  baptize  means 
to  immerse." 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  85 

"  How  do  you  know  that,  Mrs.  Johns  ?" 

"  Why,  madam,  that  is  what  the  Greek  word 

means." 

"  I  am  no  Greek,  Mrs.  Johns,  but  I  have  heard 
that  the  Jews  spoke  only  a  kmd  of  Greek,  the  mean- 
ing of  which  was  essentially  Hebraized ;  and,  besides, 
there  were  various  kinds  or  dialects  of  Greek,  and 
each  dialect  gave  a  different  shade  of  meaning  to 
its  words.  At  any  rate,  it  seems  to  me  that  im- 
merse does  not  necessarily  mean  to  suhmcrsc,  as 
you  Baptists  mistakenly  suppose.  But,  Mrs. 
Johns,  if  immersion  or  submersion  was  the  only 
meaning  of  the  Greek  word  to  baptize,  and  John 
by  consequence  submersed  the  people,  how  could 
Christ  baptize  by  pouring,  as  the  apostle  and  Christ 
assure  us  he  did  ?  The  very  fact  that  Christ  did 
hapthe  by  'pouring^  is  proof  to  me  that  submersiou 
was  not  the  only  sense  of  the  Greek  word  for  bap- 
tize. As  for  the  difference  between  water  and  Spi- 
rit, Mrs.  Johns,  that  does  not  Jiffect  the  mode, ' 
about  which  you  think  avc  are  so  pitiably  igno- 
rant." 

"  Well,  jNIrs.  Norton,  I  am  no  hand  to  argue : 
if  our  preachers  were  here,  they  could  explain  all 
about  it." 

"  Well,  madam,  please  put  my  question  to 
them,  and  if  I  hey  can  answer  it  satisfactoril}'-,  ihon 
1  will  pl<:a<l  ignoranc(>,  and  be  very  hnppy  to  see 


86  LIFE    OP    MRS.    NORTON. 

them.  Remember  my  question,  Mrs.  Johns.  You 
say  that  hiqjtism  hy  pouring  is  no  baptism  at  all ; 
and  the  Scripture  says  Christ  did  baptize  by  pour- 
ing ;  now  you  or  your  preachers  are  to  show  me 
how  it  is  that  your  assertion,  that  baptism  always 
means  submersion,  is  in  harmony  with  the  point- 
blank  assertion  of  God's  word  to  the  contrary." 
"  I'll  bring  you  some  of  our  books,  Mrs.  Norton." 
"  Very  well ;  if  they  answer  my  question,  you 
wall  oblige  me ;  but  if  they  evade  it,  you  must 
allow  me  to  remain  as  I  am  now,  that  is,  perfectly 
satisfied  with  my  baptism." 

CONVERSATION    ON    DIVERSIONS. 

At  another  time,  meeting  with  an  Episcopal 
friend,  the  conversation  took  a  religious  turn. 

•  "  The  doctrines  of  your  Church  agree  with  ours, 
Mrs.  Norton ;  but  you  are  so  strict  with  your 
members  that  I  am  afraid  I  would  make  a  poor 
Methodist,"  said  Mrs.  Parsonsr 

^'  We  certainly  would  hold  you  to  a  reasonable 
account  if  you  departed  from  our  rules  of  pious 
livins:." 

"You  object  to  so  many  things  that  I  think  are 
no  great  sins,  that  I  really  believe  you  are  too  se- 
vere." 

"  What  you  call  little  sins,  Mrs.  Parsons,  are 

*  the  little  foxes  that  spoil  the  vines.'     I  do  not 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  87 

place  many  of  .the  foibles  of  human  practice  in  the 
vilest  category ;  but  ^\o  are  not  to  '  despise  the 
day  of  small  things.'  If  you  will  observe  carefully, 
Mrs.  Parsons,  there  is  no  dividing  line  between 
great  sins  and  little  ones  ;  they  are  all  of  the  same 
fVimily,  and  are  blood-relations  of  the  same  ancient 
paternity.  You  cannot  be  insensible  to  the  forci- 
ble and  instructive  words  of  Montgomery,  in  de- 
scribing the  tendencies  of  our  nature,  and  the  ease 
with  which  we  are  led  astray. 

« This  world  is  all  a  wildering  maze, 
Where  sin  has  tracked  ten  thousand  ways 

Its  victims  to  ensnare ; 
All  broad,  all  winding,  and  aslope, 
All  tempting  with  perfidious  hope, 

All  ending  in  despair.' 

If,  Mrs.  Parsons,  we  are  in  danger  of  falling  into 
large  sins  by  the  indulgence  of  venial  peccadilloes, 
as  you  call  them,  I  think  we  should  be  always  on 
our  guard,  and  give  the  little  foxes  no  quarter. 
We  are  rarely  in  danger  of  suddenly  yielding  to 
gi'eat  temptations,  unless  our  minds  have  become 
pliant  by  a  gradual  yielding  to  httle  indiscretions. 
Familiarity  with  little  sins  leads  us  to  palliate  them, 
to  excuse  them,  to  apologize  for  them,  to  plead 
for  them,  and  finally  to  advocate  them,  and  look 
pleasantly  at  larger  ones." 

"  Really,  Mrs.  Norton,  you  state  the  case  as  it 


88  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

is,  according  to  my  experience ;  but. I  think  God  is 
very  charitable.  I  go  to  balls  and  theatres  to  ac- 
commodate my  friends,  or  play  a  game  of  cards 
when  necessary  to  complete  the  circle,  and  some- 
times dance  to  make  up  a  set ;  and  while  my  con- 
science once  upbraided  me  for  this,  I  have  found 
myself  at  last  defending  these  things.  I  know  they 
are  wrong ;  at  least  their  tendencies  are  not  always 
good.  Our  Church  is  against  them  ;  but  we  do  not 
expel  our  members  for  engaging  in  them." 

"  I  believe,  Mrs.  Parsons,  that  whatever  is 
wrong  in  its  general  tendency,  must  be  so  in  its 
very  nature.  I  am  not  metaphysician  enough — Dr. 
Holly  is  the  metaphysician — I  am  not  able  to  say 
exactly  where  the  intrinsic  evil  of  dancing,  card- 
playing,  and  balls  is  located  ;  but  the  vast  majority 
of  dancers  and  card-players  and  seekers  of  pleasure 
in  worldly  amusements,  are,  I  know,  very  far  from 
being  experimental  Christians.  I  have  no  patience 
with  an  opera,  or  theatre,  or  with  dances  or  cards. 
Connected  with  these  things  there  are  always  some 
things  innocent  and  elegant;  but  Satan  always 
covers  himself  with  angelic  apparel  when  he  would 
lure  young  hearts  from  the  guardian  care  of  Mercy. 
A  circus  always  has  such  vulgarity  inwrought  with 
its  performances,  that  it  is  really  disgusting  to 
womanly  modesty,  and  a  theatre  is  generally  but 
little  better.     As  for  cards,  they  have  the  basest 


LIFE     OF     MRS.   NORTON.  89 

and  most  abandoned  associations  so  immediately 
connected  with  them,  that  I  am  really  shocked, 
if  not  horrified,  to  see  them  in  the  hands  of  youth. 
You  know  young  Mr.  J.  was  ruined  very  quickly 
after  his  acquaintance  with  Miss  L.,  of  JNI.  The 
secret  of  that  thing  has  now  leaked  out.  Miss  L. 
brought  with  her  to  H.  a  pack  of  French  semi-trans- 
parent cards.  She  taught  Mrs.  N.'s  daughters  and 
their  cousins  to  pla}'',  and  when  young  gentlemen 
called,  they  all  met  in  the  parlor,  and  to  give  zest 
to  the  hour  they  set  to  with  these  cards.  Mr.  J. 
learned  to  play  among  these  young  ladies  a  year 
ago,  and  has,  by  that  very  means,  been  brought  to 
his  awful  death." 

"  You  have  no  objections  to  parties,  Mrs.  Nor- 
ton." 

"  I  have  no  religious  objections,  if  they  are  not 
unchristian ;  but  in  my  tastes  I  have  no  relish  for 
them.  I  thiid<;  the  social  principle  of  our  nature 
should  be  sedulously  cultivated,  and  am  pleased 
when  people  meet  and  converse  in  a  rational  way,  and 
especijdly  when  Christian  peoide  meet  and  become 
better  acquainted  with  each  other.  But  when  they 
meet  in  large  crowds  for  the  mere  purpose  of  social 
amusement  rather  than  cntcrtumment,  I  think  such 
meetings  are  a  real  social  injury  :  tlicy  rapidly  de- 
generate ;  they  develop  neither  intellect  nor  refine- 


90  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

mcnt  of  morals.  Refinement  of  manners  may  re- 
sult from  parties  of  pleasure ;  but  I  fear  they  too 
often  cultivate  a  refined  sensualism  of  manners, 
rather  than  those  of  high-toned  purity  :  where  hu- 
manity is  crowded  it  too  often  ferments,  and  vir- 
tue is  often  developed  at  the  expense  of  innocence. 
I  am  partial  to  social  gatherings  of  small  dimen- 
sions. In  these  there  are  less  numerous  tastes  to 
gratify,  and  they  are  hkely  to  contain  persons  of 
select  and  congenial  tastes.* 

*  The  following  passages  of  correspondence  illustrate  Mrs.  Nor- 
ton's tastes  for  sociality : 

"  On  New-Year's  night  we  all  wished  for  you.  Mr.  Taylor  and  Mr, 
Hockady  were  so  kind  as  to  present  Mrs.  Bradford  and  myself  with  a 
New-Year's  gift  of  Baker's  apples  and  candy.  Well,  we  joined,  and 
had  some  nice  ice-cream,  etc.,  and  invited  all  down  into  the  par- 
lor after  tea.  We  had  a  family  party.  We  were  very  sorry  you  had 
gone,  especially  as  H.  told  me  he  had  fallen  in  love  with  you." 

S.  N.,  1848. 

"  Sister  Norton:  ...  I  agree  with  you  that  company,  unless  there 
is  congeniality  of  sentiment,  is  much  better  dispensed  with.  Solitude 
is,  as  you  say,  more  instructive  and  profitable  than  an  ignorant,  self- 
conceited,  or  giddy  companion.  I,  with  you,  love  the  little  domestic 
circle,  made  up  of  friends  of  my  own  choosing:  "the  faithful  few," 
whose  minds  have  been  enlarged  and  cultivated ;  who,  if  they  have  not 
made  much  progress  in  himan  wisdom,  have  been  taught  of  God; 
whose  hearts  have  been  enlarged  by  that  charity  which  thinketh  no 
evil,  and  that  love  which  is  without  dissimulation.  All  the  better  if 
the  mind  has  been  cultivated,  but  good  always.  I  tire  and  become 
disgusted  with  the  frivolous  chit-chat  of  the  day,  and  long  for  one  sen- 
sible person  who  can  possibly  discuss  other  topics  than  dress,  parties, 
fashion,  etc.     Like  you,  '  I  am  tired  of  visits,  modes,  and  forms,  and 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON,  91 

'■'  I  am  certain  that  neither  beauty,  wit,  humor, 
fun  and  frolic  in  youth,  can  ever  compensate  for 
untidy  rooms,  a  horrid  kitchen,  a  disordered  table, 
and  an  indolent  household  in  the  married  state. 
The  woman  of  firm  piety,  of  neatness  and  frugality, 
is  rarely  nursed  in  the  hotbeds  of  amusements  and 
frivolity.  A  well-spread  table,  the  children  cleanly 
and  in  their  places,  the  windows  transparent,  the 
floors  polished,  and  the  carpets  and  beds  inviting 
and  tidy,  good  nursing  of  the  sick,  and  attention 
to  domestic  comforts  and  arrangements,  and  ser- 
vants well-trained  and  attentive,  are,  through  the 
great  area  of  life,  infinitely  beyond,  in  merit,  '  the 
poetry  of  motion,'  the  smile  of  beauty,  and  ac- 
quaintance with  cards  and  novels,  so  charming  to 
some  aspiring  young  men.  The  good  sense  of  our 
young  ladies  is  badly  spoiled  by  the  dissipated 
style  of  fashionable  life,  and  its  demoralizing  round 
of  pleasures.  I  don't  think  young  people  should 
be  demure,  but  a  perpetual  giggle  is  not  necessary 
to  hilarity;  they  need  not  attempt  the  oracular,  l)ut 
they  ought  not  to  be  silly;  they  should  l)e  ani- 


flatleriet  paid  to  fcUow-worms' — such  conversation  cloys.  .  .  Jane  is 
my  only  companion.  Siic  is  experienced  in  the  deep  things  of  God. 
She  has  had  few  advantngps,  but  yet  she  is  well  calculated  to  advise, 
comfort,  and  encuirige  tlie  young,"  etc. 

September  2(Jth,  1820.  Emily  R . 


92  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

mated,  but  they  need  not  prompt  their  vivacity 
Avith  French  brandy ;  they  ought  to  entertain  each 
other,  but  mind  should  be  addressed  rather  than 
passion ;  let  them  regard  each  other  as  beings  of 
mind  rather  than  mere  animals ;  let  it  be  understood 
that  they  are  creatures  of  head  and  heart  rather 
than  of  heels  ;  let  the  mental  rather  than  the  mate- 
rial person  be  the  basis  of  social  pleasure-parties, 
and  then  such  entertainments  will  be  refining  and 
elevating.  But  while  womankind  are  treated  as 
if  they  had  so  Uttle  intellect  that  they  are  incapa- 
ble of  entertaining  the  other  sex  with  three  or  four 
hours  of  conversation,  they  are  degraded  by  the 
presumption.  We  have  dancing-schools,  and  music- 
schools,  and  literary  schools,  and  painting-schools, 
and  it  would  be  well  if  we  had  schools  to  teach  our 
youth  how  to  converse  rationally,  brilliantly,  and 
delightfully.  If  they  have  not  brains  enough  to  be 
educated  to  converse,  they  are  certainly  to  be  pitied. 
Your  mere  material  amusements,  such  as  dancing, 
cards,  etc.,  belong  in  the  main  to  barbarous  and  igno- 
rant tribes,  and  should  remain  among  them ;  it  is  a 
poor  compHraent  to  a  Christian  age  and  people  if 
we  have  no  capabihty  of  higher  enjoyment  than  the 
savages  of  Guinea  and  Patagonia.  I  want  a  higher 
standard  of  pleasure  for  youth,  Mrs.  Parsons,  than 
such  as  governed  the  semi-enhghtened  people  of 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  93 

other  times.  I  would  give  to  youth  all  pleasures 
that  do  not  endanger  their  temporal  excellence,  or 
jeopardize  their  hopes  of  heaven.  I  think  the 
Methodist  Church  does  right  about  amusements. 
It  sets  a  high  and  refined  standard,  and  I  hope 
never  to  see  it  degraded  one  single  degree." 


94  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 


CHAPTER  V. 

CONVICTION — EEMAKKABLE  INSTANCE — INSTRUCTIONS  TO  A'MOURNER — 

FAITH RELIGION. 

"  Mrs.  Norton,  you  were  speaking  last  week  on 
conviction  for  sin.  I  have  been  at  the  church  and 
heard  Mr.  Maffit.  He  describes  the  feelings  of  the 
heart  with  great  accuracy,  and  I  have  often  had 
compunctions  of  conscience,  but  never  was  in  such 
a  state  of  mind  as  he  described  to  be  the  experience 
of  some  seekers  of  religion." 

"  He  said,  Mr.  Truman,  that  under  conviction, 
there  were  as  many  different  classes  of  emotions  as 
there  were  classes  of  people.  The  case  he  de- 
scribed was,  as  he  said,  a  remarkable  one." 

"Did  you  ever  see  a  case  of  the  kind,  Mrs. 
Norton?" 

"  There  was  a  friend  of  mine  whose  experience 
was  of  exactly  the  same  character.  Indeed,  I  have 
her  letter  giving  a  full  account  of  it." 

"  I  should  like  to  heai'  it,  Mrs.  Norton,  if  it  be 
not  improper  to  give  it." 

"  Not  at  all,  Mr.  Truman.     It   is   here  in  my 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  95 

portfolio,  and  at  jouy  service.  Shall  I  read  it  to 
you  i 

"  If  you  please." 

"It  is  dated,  Louisville,  September  4th,  1828 
— about  nine  years  ago.  The  writer's  name  you 
need  not  know  : — '  I  have  wished  ardently  to 
hear  from  you,  my  dear  friend,  and  for  the  last 
few  days  I  have  wanted  you  with  me  more 
than  any  person  in  the  world.  I  scarcely  know 
how  to  describe  my  feelings ;  but  if  I  could, 
and  you  were  here,  you  would  understand  them. 
I  have  wanted  your  pra3^ers  and  the  prayers  of  all 
Christians.  I  have  lived  in  rebellion  against  God ; 
he  has  shown  me  his  power,  and  I  now  pray  for 
his  mercy.  Since  the  death  of  a  dear  child,  I  have, 
in  tlie  midst  of  grief,  thought  of  my  unprepared 
state  to  meet  him  in  judgment;  but  I  have  not 
sufficient  feeling  to  produce  amendment.  I  should 
have  gone  on  had  not  God  smitten  me  in  wrath ; 
but  now  I  hope,  through  grace,  to  lead  a  new  life. 
I  am  under  his  sore  displeasure,  and  know  not  that 
he  will  accept  me.  INIother  and  S.  think  I  am 
enthusiastic,  though  I  tell  them  they  try  to  disbe- 
lieve I  am  under  conviction.  0  how  I  wish  to  be 
with  those  that  could  understand  me,  and  pray  for 
me!  My  friends  here  are  kind  and  amiable,  but 
0  !  how  little  they  know  about  religion.  They  t(!ll 
mc  to  ride  or  to  visit;  as  if  I  could  fly  from  the 


96  LIFE     OF     MRS.    N  Oil  TON. 

wrath  of  God  !  The  devil  tempts  me  to  deny  my 
comlition ;  but  it  is  too  plain  a  case.  It  would  be 
shiful  not  to  believe  it  is  from  my  God — you  shall 
judge  if  I  ought  not  to  think  so. 

" '  On  Monday  evening,  after  tea,  I  went  into 
the  passage  and  took  a  seat.  Elizabeth  Oliver 
was  there,  and  we  conversed  of  matters,  whether 
of  interest  or  not,  I  do  not  now  recollect ;  I  was  in 
nowise  agitated.  I  had  neither  heard  nor  read 
any  thing  to  excite  my  feehngs.  The  Avind  blew 
through  the  passage,  and  I  thought  how  easy  it 
would  be  for  God  to  carry  me  away  with  it  to  eter- 
nity for  my  unbelief.  Yet  I  was  calm.  I  got  up 
and  walked,  and  thought,  if  the  Lord  would  only  as- 
sist me,  and  show  me  the  way,  I  would  try  to  serve 
him.  In  a  moment,  like  lightning,  a  feeling  came 
over  me,  such  as  cannot  be  described ;  but  0,  how 
awful  it  was  !  I  thought  I  was  struck  with  death — 
that  soul  and  body  were  lost  for  ever.  It  was  not 
fainting,  for  I  was  able  to  tvalk  up  stem's.  I  told 
mother  I  was  dying,  and  was  not  prepared.  From 
the  agitation  of  my  frame,  and  the  palpitation  of 
my  heart,  she  thought  I  was  very  ill,  and  sent  for 
Doctor  Rogers.  He  thought  it  might  be  a  chill, 
and  that  a  fever  would  of  course  follow ;  but  it  was 
nothing  of  the  kind — I  had  no  fever.  I  told  them  I 
only  wanted  the  prayer  of  some  Christian.  I  lay 
in  this  agony  for  some  length  of  time,  and  then  be- 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  97 

came  a  little  composed.  Next  morning  Dr.  Har- 
rison prayed  for  me.  I  felt  the  want  of  Christians 
around  me.  0 !  how  I  wanted  you  or  Mother 
Anderson  with  me.  My  mother  does  not  under- 
stand these  things,  good  as  she  is  :  even  Elizabeth 
seemed  nearer  to  me,  and  I  preferred  her  being 
with  me  at  night.  James  came,  and  was  distressed 
at  my  situation.  He  tried  to  reason  me  out  of  it. 
I  told  him  I  did  not  give  ivay  to  my  feelings.  In- 
deed, I  should  feel  better  if  I  could  talk  freely  to 
some  one  :  I  tr}^  to  pray,  but  my  prayers  are  weak. 
Very  often  that  indescribahle  feeling  comes  over 
me,  and  almost  destroys  me.  I  dread  it  so  much 
that  I  constantly  fear  the  next  will  kill  me.  I  try 
to  lift  my  thoughts  to  heaven,  and  plead  with  my 
Saviour;  but  I  am  afraid.  0  my  dear  friend,  will 
you  pray  for  me,  and  tell  my  dear  mother  I  want 
her  to  do  so  also?    0,  if  you  could  unite  with  me  ! 

"  '  You  will  receive  this  to-morrow  night  or  next 
day.  Will  you  tell  mother?  I  know  she  will 
readily  unite  lier  prayers  with  yours,  and  I  will 
join  at  the  same  time,  l^et  the  time  be  at  3  o'clock 
on  Saturday  evening.  0  !  think  of  my  wretched 
state  of  mind.  I  would  not  make  this  request  if 
I  did  not  greatly  need  your  players. 

"  '  There  is  one  scripture  that  now  gives  me  some 
consolation.  ^Vhen  I  am  in  the  greatest  agony,  I 
remember  that  Christ  walked  on  the  troubled  wa- 
5 


98  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

ter  to  his  disciples.  They  thought  it  was  a  spirit, 
but  he  said,  "It  is  I:  be  not  afraid."  Then  I  think 
he  would  not  call  me  if  he  did  not  wish  me  to  come : 
would  he  call  me  to  him  to  destroy  me  ?    0  no ! 

" '  I  have  ceased  to  grieve  for  my  dear  child.  Its 
death  will  prove  a  blessing.  0,  how  my  feehngs 
are  changed !  If  I  can  obtain  peace  with  God,  I 
shall  be  happy,  and  not  dare  to  repine.  .  .  I  have 
mourned,  but  it  is  all  over  now.  0  that  the  Lord 
may  render  it  a  blessing !  I  had  your  letter  by 
me  several  hours  before  I  was  able  to  read  it,  not 
knowing  who  it  was  from.  I  felt  unable  to  open 
it.  James  opened  it  and  told  me  it  was  from  you. 
I  then  knew  I  would  find  some  consolation. 

'''Mary  A .'" 

"  That  seems  a  remarkable  case,  Mrs.  Norton." 
"  Remarkable,  but  by  no  means  uncommon." 
"  Well,  I  think  I  can  explain  it,  madam.  That 
lady  lost  her  child,  and  it  naturally  made  her 
serious ;  it  led  her  to  reflect  on  the  future.  In  this 
sensitive  state  the  rushing  of  the  wind,  by  associa- 
tion, awoke  a  serious  train  of  thought  that  became 
overpowering  to  her  already  lacerated  feelings." 

"  Those  things  are  certainly  to  be  taken  into  the 
account,  but  they  scarcely  explain  those  successive 
paroxysms  of  awful  dread  of  God  and  his  wrath, 
of  her  constant  frame  of  horror,  and  of  the  sud- 


LIFE     OF    MRS.    NORTON.  99 

denness  of  her  transition  from  a  perfectly  calm 
state  of  mind  to  that  'indescribable'  agony  under 
conviction  for  sin.  God's  Spirit  often  makes  use 
of  natural  means,  and  of  his  word,  to  reprove  the 
world  of  sin,  and  there  is  nothing  that  happens  to 
us  but,  if  we  open  our  hearts  to  reflection,  it  will 
reprove  us  of  disobedience  to  God  in  one  way  or 
another.  But  there  is  one  thing  I  would  have  you 
remember ;  that  is,  that  when  the  heart  feels  ac- 
ceptance with  God,  it  almost  invariably  passes 
from  the  indescribable  agony  and  horror  of  con- 
viction, to  unutterable  rapture  in  a  single  moment. 
As  this  lady  says,  her  conviction  was  sudden  as  a 
flanh  of  lightning ;  so  also  is  the  joy  to  such  hearts 
when  they  find  pardon  by  faith.  The  doctor  did 
not  understand  her  case ;  it  was  not  a  nervous  or 
febrile  malady,  though  her  whole  frame  sympa- 
thized with  her  conscience ;  all  was  attributed  to 
enthusiasm,  as  if  there  could  be  such  sudden  ef- 
fects without  an  adequate  and  sudden  cause. 
Worldly  people  arc  ignorant  of  the  phenomena  of 
spiritual  operations,  or  they  feign  to  be.  ]My  own 
experience  coincides  very  much  with  that  of  this 
friend.  I  was  a  child  when  I  heard  the  word 
preached ;  but  that  word,  attended  by  the  Spirit, 
^wrought  such  a  conviction  of  unprcparcdness  for 
heaven,  and  of  sinful  tendency,  th;it  1  was  often 
overwhelmed  with  horror;  nor  did  I  ever  find  re- 


100  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

lief  but  in  prayer  to  God  for  mercy.  All  persons 
under  conviction  for  sin  do  not  feel  and  act  alike ; 
but  all  are  distressed ;  and  there  is  not  a  living- 
soul,  that  has  arrived  at  yeiirs  of  accountability, 
but,  at  some  time,  has  felt  something  of  those  aw- 
ful forebodings  of  the  future,  and  of  guilt  before 
God,  which  the  Bible  tells  us  are  from  the  Holy 
Spirit — so  I  believe.  They  come,  and  depart  if  not 
improved  ;  and  finally  leave  us  altogether;  and  then 
our  case  is  hopeless ;  for  no  man  comes  unto  me, 
says  Christ,  unless  the  Father  draw  him.  Then 
we  are  given  over  to  be  lost." 

"  Mrs.  Norton,  I  wish  you  would  tell  me  how  to 
get  religion,  if  there  is  such  a  thing." 

"  By  religion  you  mean,  as  I  understand,  par- 
don and  regeneration." 

"  Yes." 

"  With  pleasure,  Sir.  Understand  me  then.  A 
regenerated  person  is  a  Christian,  and  a  pardoned 
man  is  a  Christian.  Regeneration  is  by  the  Spirit ; 
pardon  is  through  fxith.  The  Spirit  regenerates — 
this  is  God's  work;  in  this  transformation  you 
have  no  direct  agency.  Pardon  is  also  the  act  of 
God,  but  it  is  obtained  on  conditions  which  you  can 
perform  and  must  perform.  You  must  exercise 
faith  in  the  atonement,  and  then  you  will  be  for- 
given." 

"Pardon  me,  madam,  for  interrupting  you;  but 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  101 

I  never   could   understand   what   you   mean   by 

faith." 

"  You  must  have  been  either  badly  instructed, 

or  have  paid  little  attention  to  good  instructions. 
Faith  is  a  belief  in  our  responsibility  to  God  at  the 
last  great  day,  and  that  we  will  be  saved  if  we  for- 
sake every  sin,  and  ask  God's  pardon  for  the  past 
throuo-h  the  atonement.  A  savincr  faith  is  such  a 
belief  in  these  things  as  leads  us  to  repent.  Re- 
pentance is  such  a  regret  for  all  our  violations  of 
God's  law  as  leads  us  to  forsake  them.  When  the 
last  sin  is  given  up,  then  faith  instantly  takes  hold 
of  a  Divine  promise,  and  the  sinner  is  instantly 
pardoned;  and  this  pardon  is  accompanied  by  re- 
generation." 

"What  is  the  proof  of  our  pardon,  Mrs. Norton?" 
"  The  direct  proof  o^ pardon  is  theprow«/sc  of  God. 
On  this  point  I  would  have  you  thoroughly  en- 
lightened. The  direct  proof  that  we  are  pardoned  is 
the  WORD  of  God — remember  that.  For  examitle  : 
a  seeker  of  religion,  forsaking  every  sin  against  God, 
and  asking  pardon  for  all,  is  instantly  forgiven  ;  for 
'  he  that  asketh  receiveth,'  and  *  him  that  comcth 
to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.'  When  we  per- 
form the  required  conditions  of  pardon,  we  know  we 
are  pardoned,  because  God  says  so  in  his  word ;  it 
is  not  by  the  witness  of  the  Si)irit,  but  by  the 
Divine  assertion,  that  we  know  we  are  forgiven.     I 


102  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

repent  of  every  sin — I  say  every  sin — and  then 
pray  God  to  forgive  me  all  for  Christ's  sake — then 
I  AM  FORGIVEN — I  then  KNOW  I  am  forgiven,  for  God 
affirms  it.  '  He  that  asketh  receiveth.'  I  ask 
pardon,  on  repentance,  and  receive  it,  because  '  he 
that  asketh  receiveth.'  I  want  no  higher  testi- 
mony than  this. 

'  Firm  as  God's  throne  his  promise  stands, 

And  he  can  well  secure 
What  I've  committed  to  his  hands 
Till  the  decisive  hour.'  " 

"  But,  Mrs.  Norton,  I  have  asked,  and  I  am  not 
satisfied  that  I  have  received  pardon." 

"  The  reason,  sir,  is  obvious.  You  have  not  for- 
saken every  sin ;  for  had  you,  unbelief  would  not 
keep  you  from  resting  satisfied  of  pardon  on  the 
truth  of  God's  word.  Such  is  the  nature  of  re- 
pentance, faith,  and  pardon,  that  you  cannot  exer- 
cise this  faith  while  the  smallest  allowance  or 
apology  for  any  sin  finds  a  place  in  your  heart. 
You  are  fond  of  worldly  pleasure ;  you  will  not 
give  it  up,  and  until  you  do,  you  cannot  exercise 
this  fiiith.  When  you  uncompromisingly  give  up 
every  sin,  great  and  small,  then  you  will  be  for- 
given, but  never  till  then.  '  If  I  regard  iniquity 
in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear  my  prayer.' 
You  cannot  beheve  that  you  receive  pardon  for  all 
your  sins,  while  there  are  so7ne  left  which  you  will 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  10 


Q 


not  abandon  ;  the  thing  is  impossible  :  forsake  all, 
and  at  that  instant  all  Avill  be  forgiven.  God  never 
forgives  a  part  only." 

"  But  if  we  are  saved  by  faith  in  a  special  pro- 
mise, what  is  the  use  of  prayer  and  of  caUing  mourn- 
ers forward,,  publicly,  for  prayer  ?" 

"  Prayer  gives  exercise  to  repentance  and  faith ; 
it  is  inseparable  from  them,  so  that  it  is  written, 
'  Whosoever  calleth  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord 
shall  be  saved.'  A  convicted  sinner  is  not  always 
willing  to  give  up  every  sin,  though  he  is  ready  to 
part  with  many.  '  God  ^vorks  in  him  to  will  and 
to  do  of  his  own  good  pleasure ;'  and  in  prayer  he 
is  a  'co-worker  with  God,  working  out  his  own 
salvation  ^\\i\\fear  and  trcmhliufj  before  God.'  By 
prayer  to  God  he  becomes  willing  to  give  up  one 
sin  after  another,  till  he  parts  with  the  last  one, 
and  tlien  he  rests  satisfied  in  the  promise  that  *  he 
that  asketh  receiveth.'  In  the  act  of  prayer  he 
finds  peace,  because  it  increases  faitli  by  enlarging 
repentance  till  '  repentance  is  unto  life.'  '  Rei)ent- 
ance  unto  life'  is  the  nbandonment  of  every  sin,  no 
matter  whether  tears  or  groans  or  external  signs 
of  grief  attend  it  or  not ;  it  is  the  cessation  of  sin, 
because  sin  is  regretted  as  evil  in  the  sight  of  God, 
tliat  constitutes  repentance  unto  life.  We  may  re- 
form our  life  without  any  reference  to  Divine  ac- 
countabihty;  but  this  is  nut  repentance  towards 


104  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

God :  reformation,  and  regret  for  sin  as  evil  in 
God's  sight,  make  the  sum  of  OJmstian  penitence ; 
it  is  principle  and  practice  combined.  God's  house 
is  a  house  of  prayer ;  the  altar  is  the  usual  place 
of  prayer  in  God's  house,  the  known  place  of  sacri- 
fice and  atonement.  Men  have  sinned  publicly, 
and  must  publicly  acknowledge  it,  if  they  would 
be  successful  in  prayer — '  with  the  mouth  con- 
fession is  made  unto  salvation.'  The  man  who  is 
umvilUng  to  acknowledge  himself  a  sinner  by  a  pub- 
lic act  of  humility,  will  never  be  forgiven ;  you 
may  rest  assured  of  that." 

"  If  we  are  saved  by  fiiith  in  the  act  of  prayer, 
Mrs.  Norton,  why  do  so  many  distress  themselves 
about  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  ?  When  I  get  reli- 
gion, I  want  to  know  it  for  myself." 

"That  is  praiseworthy,  Mr.  Truman;  but  many, 
in  seeking  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  neglect  the 
necessary  antecedents  of  repentance  towards  God, 
and  faith  in  his  promise.  When  you  are  pardoned, 
you  will  be  regenerated,  and  the  witness  in  your 
heart  will  show  your  adoption  into  God's  family. 
'  Being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God, 
and  the  love  of  God  will  be  shed  abroad  in  our 
hearts,  by  the  Holy  Ghost' — we  will  have  a  sense 
of  '  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.'  Perform  ?/our  work  of  repentance  and  faith, 
and  God  will  attend  to  his,  that  of  regeneration  and 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  105 

of  the  witness  of  the  Spirit :  let  his  work  alone — 
attend  to  yours,  and  all  will  be  right.  Many  per- 
sons, under  i\\Qfear  and  trembling  of  conviction,  are 
in  a  frame  of  mind  too  agitated  to  admit  of  com- 
prehending the  plan  of  personal  salvation  as  I  have 
explained  it ;  hut  they  can  fully  comprehend  and 
feel  that  prayer  will  bring  them  to  God.  When  a 
convicted  sinner  can  understand  no  other  instruc- 
tion, he  can  understand  this  ;  and  as  prayer  gives 
exercise  to  penitence,  faith  and  love,  '  brings  every 
blessing  from  above,'  I  then  urge  him  to  pray,  and 
pray  with  him  :  if  he  perseveres,  he  is  sure  to  be- 
lieve and  rejoice  at  last — '  God  is  the  rewarder  of 
those  that  diligently  seek  him.'  If  you  think  your 
soul  worth  saving,  you  have  feeling  enough  to  strive 
for  pardon ;  and  if  you  will  pray  earnestly  and  con- 
stantly, you  will  exiierimentalhj  learn  the  way  to 
God  through  repentance  and  faith.  The  most  be- 
nighted come  to  God  in  prayer,  and  are  made 
hapi)y  by  faith  in  the  very  same  path  as  the  most 
enlightened.  Prayer  is  the  way  to  God  :  faith  be- 
gins, attends,  and  finishes  repentance,  conquers  the 
world,  and  trium[)lis  over  death." 

What  is  conversion,  Mrs.  Norton  ?" 
'As  a  general  term,  it  signifies  change — change 
of  any  kind.     In   religion  it  ordinarily  means   a 
change  of  life ;    but  witli   us  it  is  often  used  as 

synonymous  with  regeneration.     In  this  sense  it 
5:h 


106  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

means  a  reorganization  of  our  moral  nature ;  a 
change  not  only  in  our  principles  of  religious  action, 
but  in  the  spiritual  nature  itself.  The  spiritual 
life  which  Adam  lost  when  he  sinned,  and  which 
was  not  inherited  by  his  children,  is,  in  regenera- 
tion, at  once  renewed.  All  are,  by  nature,  spiritu- 
ally dead ;  but  the  Spirit  entering  the  soul,  unites 
with  it  as  a  vital  principle,  and  we  possess  new- 
ness of  life ;  our  bodies  become  temples  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  the  Father  and  the  Son  come  and 
dwell  within  us ;  we  are  thus  united  to  God,  and 
^  are  made  partakers  of  the  Divine  nature.'  This 
regeneration  is  called  by  us  experimental  religion, 
as  distinct  from  practical  religion,  because  God  pro- 
poses to  us,  if  we  will  do  certain  things,  we  shall 
feel  his  abiding  presence ;  we  tr}^  the  experiment, 
and  thus  '  set  to  our  seal  that  God  is  true.'  When 
we  are  converted  by  the  Spirit,  our  hearts  are  love, 
as  God  is  love :  we  love  all  people,  even  our  ene- 
mies, and  would  bear  them  all  to  heaven.  The 
witness  of  the  Spirit  comes  to  the  heart,  and  as- 
sures us  we  are  God's  children.  Yet  it  is  not 
always  at  once  understood  by  those  to  whom  it 
comes.  '  God  speaks  once,  yea,  twice  ;  but  man 
perceiveth  it  not :'  hence  we  are  exhorted  to  ex- 
junine  and  prove  ourselves  whether  we  be  in  the 
faith.  '  Know  ye  not  your  own  selves  how  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  in  you  except  ye  be  reprobates  ?'  A 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  107 

good  test  of  genuine  regeneration  is  this  :  obedience 
being  the  test  of  true  love  to  God,  if  we  would  not 
deliberately  violate  a  law  of  God,  then  our  love  to 
him  is  supreme ;  then  are  we  true  Christians  ;  then 
will  we  be  always  striving  to  do  all  our  known  duty. 
Regeneration  implies  sup'eme  love  to  God,  though 
that  love  may  often  be  practically  irregular ;  per- 
fect love  differs  from  this  in  being  lyractically 
uniform.  Regeneration  is  popularly  called  by  va- 
rious names,  and  if  I  ask  a  man  if  he  has  religion, 
and  he  says  he  does  not  know  that  he  has  it  by 
that  name,  and  I  ask  again,  do  you  love  God  su- 
premely, and  he  answers,  yes,  then  I  am  satisfied 
he  has  what  I  call  experimental  religion.  Did 
Christian  people  better  understand  each  other's 
terms  for  indicating  the  abiding  sense  of  the  love 
of  God  in  their  hearts,  there  would  be  far  more 
harmony  and  fraternization  among  them.  I  may 
find  a  golden  coin,  as  a  doubloon,  and  not  know  its  . 
name,  the  superscription  being  in  an  unknown 
tongue.  I  may  be  asked  if  I  have  found  a  doub- 
loon, and  answer  I  do  not  know ;  but  if  one  is 
described,  I  can,  by  examination,  promptly  ascer- 
tain. I  know  at  once  that  I  have  found  a  piece 
of  ffold  of  considerable  value,  ])ut  I  know  not  its 
technical  name  and  value  until  I  knt)W  the  meaning 
attached  to  its  name.  So  it  is  with  experimental 
religion.     I  may  obtain  it,  and  not  know  it  under 


108  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

that  particular  appellation ;  but  I  know  I  love  God 
and  his  people,  and  have  passed  from  death  unto 
life.  It  is  said,  very  foolishly  as  I  think,  by  some 
persons,  that  '  a  man  cannot  have  religion  and  not 
know  it.'  In  one  sense  this  is  true ;  but  I  know 
people  may  be  Christians,  and  yet  be  sometimes  in 
doubt  of  it ;  and  they  may  have  experimental  reli- 
gion, and  not  know  it  by  that  particular  name — the 
suhstance  is  one  thing,  and  the  name  quite  another : 
we  know  the  substance  always — not  the  name 
always." 

"But,  Mrs.  Norton,  is  noise  essential  to  reli- 
gion ?" 

"  Not  always ;  but  I  know  this — that  it  is  in- 
separable from  it  if  there  be  any  zeal  in  the  Church  : 
when  there  is  lightning,  there  is  sure  to  be  thun- 
der somewhere ;  and  where  there  is  thunder,  there 
is  sure  to  be  an  efficient  cause  for  it.  Mr.  Norton 
and  myself  once  disagreed  on  this  point,  but  we 
have  been  long  since  reconciled."* 

*  In  1818  Mrs.  Norton  visited  her  old  home  in  Pennsylvania.  While 
there  she  writes  to  Mr.  Norton  as  follovrs :  "I  entirely  agree  with  you 
that,  to  enjoy  religion,  our  principles  must  be  pure,  and  our  actions 
just,  both  at  home  and  abroad.  So  far  I  agree  with  you.  My  dear, 
I  know  you  most  seriously  believe  the  Scriptures.  I  shall  take  your 
advice  concerning  the  Methodists,  as  I  believe  it  most  kindly  meant. 
Fear  not ;  I  shall  tate  no  decided  step  in  that  way  until  we  meet.  It 
is  not  to  any  sect  I  have  been  awakened,  but  to  God;  though  grati- 
tude compels  me  to  acknowledge  the  Methodists  as  the  means  a  second 
time  of  my  being  uncommonly  stirred  up  to  my  religious  duty.   In  all 


LIFE    OF    MRS.  NORTON.  109 

their  meetings,  public  and  private,  day  and  night,  I  can  solemnly  say, 
I  have  never  yet  seen  any  thing  inconsistent  with  holiness.  I  am  sorry 
you  are  prejudiced  against  class-meetings.  To  the  soul  in  real  earnest, 
they  are  useful.  Church-meetings  at  night  cannot  be  avoided.  Every 
society,  English  and  German,  has  them.  I  go  with  your  mother  often, 
as  well  as  to  Methodist  meetings.  My  dear,  I  never  could  and  never 
did  believe  7ioise  or  empty  sound  was  religion;  but  I  believe  when  the 
heart  is  filled  with  the  love  of  God,  the  tongue  and  the  voice  will  some- 
times praise  him  aloud.  My  greatest  delight  at  present  is  alone  in 
my  closet  with  my  God.  'Tis  to  him  I  look  for  strength  to  persevere 
until  I  become  what  I  would  be." 

Mr.  Norton,  in  writing  to  us  on  January  20,  1858,  says,  "I  have 
some  connections  Baptists,  and  many  Presbyterians :  I  am  more  at- 
tached to  the  Methodist  Church  and  doctrine."  From  this  statement 
it  appears  he  had  very  long  since  ceased  to  object  to  his  wife's  being 
in  that  Church.  Prior  to  1818,  she  had  been  most  useful  in  winning 
many  to  Christ,  and  at  that  time  was  not  at  all  what  is  called  a  back- 
slider. 


110  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 


CHAPTER  VL 

CONVERSATION   WITH   A    NEW-LIGHT — METHODIST   USAGES. 

''  Good  evening,  Mrs.  Norton." 
"  Walk  into  the  parlor,  Mrs.  Newel." 
"  I  have  come  to  have  a  little  friendly  talk  with 
you,   Mrs.  Norton.     Have   you   lieard    our   new 
preacher  ?" 

"  I  have  been  to  hear  him  once  or  twice." 
"  Don't  you  think  he  is  a  charming  speaker, 
Mrs.  Norton  ?  We  are  all  delighted  with  him.  We 
think  you  Methodists  ought  to  be  pleased  with 
him,  he  is  so  much  like  you  in  his  views.  He  is 
for  uniting  all  Christians  on  the  Bible.  You  know 
he  preaches  on  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  and  makes 
the  matter  so  plain,  I  really  sometimes  wish  every- 
body could  hear  him.  You  know  I  like  you  Meth- 
odists and  all  your  ways,  except  your  mode  of  bap- 
tism, and  your  unwiUingness  to  unite  on  the  Bible." 
"  Indeed,  Mrs.  Newel,  I  was  pleased  with  the 
liberal  spirit  of  your  preacher ;  but,  really,  on  the 
matter  of  Christian  union,  I  am  not  so  certain  he 
takes  any  really  practical  ground." 


ii 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  Ill 

"  You  don't  understand  him,  Mrs.  Norton.     He  • 
wants  all  Christians  to  unite." 

"  Well,  what  do  you  understand  him  to  mean  Ly 
union  ?     Do  you  mean  to  say  there  ought  to  he 
one  great  denomination  known  hy  one  name  ?" 
Certainly  I  do." 

Then  you  wish  Methodists,  Presbyterians, 
Baptists,  Episcopalians,  and  all,  to  give  up  their 
views  and  accept  those  of  your  preacher,  which 
would  be  admitting  that  you  have  more  sense 
than  all  other  people — an  admission  very  compli- 
mentary to  you — and  you  claim  this  compliment 
as  perfectly  just.  Now,  really,  Mrs.  Newel,  you 
admit  that  these  denominations  are  Christians  ;  and 
if  so,  they  are  such  by  uniting  on  the  Bible :  this 
union  exists  now  :  why  then  ask  for  a  union  that 
you  already  acknowledge  ?  I  am  afraid,  Mrs. 
Newel,  that  your  preacher's  notion  of  union  on  the 
Bible,  means  nothing  less  than  a  union  with  your 
denomination." 

"Pardon  me,  Mrs.  Norton ;  but  wc  think  that 
although  you  believe  the  Bible,  you  yet  do  not 
understand  it." 

"And  pardon  me,  Mrs.  Newel,  but  we  think  the 
same  of  you;  and  your  people  are  certainly  in  a 
vast  minority.  And  as  for  understanding  the  Bible 
in  the  original  Greek  and  Hebrew,  the  denominM- 
tious  standing  against  your  views    possess  a  far 


112  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

greater  number  of  profound  scholars,  and  men  of 
talent  and  practical  piety,  than  you  can  ever  boast. 
You  think  you  are  right — we  think  we  are  right ; 
and  when  doctors  disagree,  they  must  be  allowed  to 
differ.  I  tell  you  candidly,  Mrs.  Newel,  I  have 
heard  your  preachers  ever  since  1830,  and  I  have 
heard  other  denominations  all  my  life,  and  if  I  am 
any  judge,  your  preachers  differ  more,  far  more, 
among  themselves,  than  do  the  preachers  I  have 
heard  among  all  the  evangelical  denominations  of 
our  country." 

''  But,  Mrs.  Norton,  other  denominations  cling 
to  their  creeds,  and  this  makes  their  differences : 
if  all  would  take  the  Bible,  there  would  not  be  such 
contentions." 

"  But,  Mrs.  Newel,  if  creeds  make  us  differ,  and 
your  Church  has  none,  then  what  makes  the  dif- 
ferences among  your  preachers  ?  All  the  union 
with  you,  if  I  rightly  apprehend  the  matter,  is  on 
the  single  doctrine  of  submersion  for  the  remission 
of  sins  :  on  this  point  you  have  union,  but  on  no 
other  that  ever  I  knew,  except  that  of  gaining  all 
you  can  from  other  Churches." 

"  Well  you  know,  Mrs.  Norton,  when  we  find 
people  in  error,  it  is  our  duty  to  enlighten  them." 

"  0  3^es,  madam,  that  is  true,  if  their  religious 
errors  are  in  the  way  of  final  salvation ;  and  you 
certainly  believe  your  mother  was  a  Christian  and 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  113 

went  to  heaven  without  being  submersed  :  she  was 
baptized  by  pouring,  as  I  Avell  remember." 

"Yes,  Mrs.  Norton ;  we  think  God  saves  peo- 
ple through  ignorance." 

"  Well,  Mrs.  Newel,  I  never  read  in  the  Scrip- 
tures of  ignorance  being  a  means  of  salvation  :  un- 
Ijehef  is  the  only  damning  sin  we  read  of,  and  '  he 
that  believeth  hath  everlasting  life.'  But  on  this 
matter  of  creeds  and  union,  Mrs.  Newel,  my  opinion 
is  settled.  The  Bible  embraces  a  vast  amount  of 
facts  and  doctrines  about  which  we  may  innocently 
entertain  very  different  opinions.  Were  all  people 
united  in  the  same  opinion,  they  might  all  be  com- 
mitted to  some  egregious  fallacy,  and  there  would 
be  none  to  correct  the  misapprehension.  But  as 
the  matter  now  stands,  diversity  of  opinion  leads 
to  controversy  and  close  investigations,  which  in 
the  course  of  time  give  enlarged  views  of  truth, 
and  pour  a  flood  of  light  on  the  doubtful  cause  of 
dilference.  Human  opinions  have  never  been  alto- 
gether right  since  the  fall  of  man,  and  any  stereo- 
typed union  is  an  irrepressible  barrier  to  mental 
j)rogress.  Again,  there  arc  certain  doctrines  of 
Scripture  in  which  a  practical  belief  is  essential  (o 
salvation,  as  you  a(hnit,  and  (here  are  many  wlio 
profess  to  believe  the  Bible  and  call  themselves 
Christians,  who  discard  these  doctrines  as  essential 
articles  of  Christian  laith.     Now  it  is  essential  for 


114  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

the  salvation  of  men  that  pious  peoiDle  should  at 
least  briefly  sum  up  their  articles  of  Bible  faith  in 
opposition  to  such  dogmatists,  and  publish  these 
creeds  to  the  world,  as  distinguishable  marks  of  or- 
thodoxy in  the  flock  where  there  are  many  wolves 
in  sheep's  clothing.  It  is  the  multitude  of  false 
teachers  that  makes  a  distinct  profession  of  faith  in 
certain  articles  of  religion  necessary  on  the  part 
of  true  teachers ;  and  those  who  hide  their  light 
among  so  many  errorists,  it  seems  to  me  are  very 
ill-advised  as  to  their  duty.  Every  one  ought  to 
show  his  standard,  and  have  no  fears  of  unfurling 
his  banners.  In  these  times  of  false  doctrine,  I  am 
afraid  of  those  who  refuse  to  express  in  positive 
words  what  are  their  articles  of  saving  faith.  And 
as  for  any  external  corporate  union  of  all  Churches, 
I  am  afraid  of  such  a  scheme :  there  is  too  much 
ambition  in  the  human  heart,  too  much  attraction 
for  ease,  place,  dignity,  and  power,  to  tempt  men 
from  humility,  and  to  lead  them  to  oppression  and 
tyranny,  for  one  to  desire  any  such  organization 
till  Christ  appear.  The  Homan  Church  was  once 
pure ;  but  it  had  a  vast  external  unity,  and  you 
know  how  terribly  it  has  corrupted  its  way.  All 
its  tyranny  grew  out  of  that  very  kind  of  unity 
you  wish  to  promote.  All  the  external  unity  I 
wish  is  that  of  an  official  recognition  among  all  de- 
nominations of  evangelical  Christians,  that   each 


LITE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  115 

belongs  .to  Christ — that  is  union  enough.  And 
certainly,  Mrs.  Newel,  you  never  expect  that  such 
a  unity  of  the  Church  as  you  propose  will  be  at  all 
practicable  before  the  coming  of  Christ." 

"Yes,  Mrs.  Norton,  we  do.  We  think  there  are 
to  be  vast  changes  in  tlic  world,  and  that  every- 
body will  adopt  our  views." 

"  On  what  grounds  do  3^ou  hope  it,  Mrs.  Newel  ?" 

"  Why,  madam,  the  Lord  says  he  will  cut  the 
work  short  in  righteousness." 

"  Do  you  mean  by  miracle  ?" 

"  I  don't  know  how%  Mrs.  Norton." 

"  God  works  by  means,  Mrs.  Newel ;  and  to 
expect  an  end  without  ordinary  gospel  means,  is 
rather  visionary,  I  should  think;  and  besides,  if  you 
should  not  be  in  the  riglit,  you  would  likely  be  cut 
short  in  the  Lord's  work.  For  my  part,  when  I 
remember  how  many  multiplied  thousands  are  vio- 
lently opposed  to  your  reformation  as  unnecessary, 
unreasonable,  and  impracticable,  I  see  no  earthly 
chance  of  your  people  doing  any  thing  more  than 
to  build  up  another  sect  of  religionists ;  and  as  you 
preach  against  the  existence  of  all  sects,  your  prac- 
tice does  violence  to  your  own  creed." 

"  Well,  Mrs.  Norton,  you  know  I  l)elieve  you 
.'ire  a  true  Christian.  Wo  liope  to  get  you  some 
day.  Come  and  hear  our  preachers.  I  think  you 
would  like  them." 


116  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

"  Very  well,  madain,  I  am  a  Methodist  Christian. 
The  old  ship  has  carried  thousands  safe  to  the  king- 
dom, and  I  expect  to  journey  in  it  safely  to  the 
good  country,  and  I  fear  that  you  are  deluded,  and 
that  you  will  make  shipwreck  of  your  faith.  With- 
out faith  and  regeneration,  Mrs.  Newel,  your  bap- 
tism will  not  save  you.  I  believe  you  are  now  a 
good  woman ;  you  really  wish  to  save  people  from 
destruction ;  but,  Mrs.  Newel,  I  entreat  you  not  to 
let  your  zeal  for  God  degenerate  into  that  of  a  pro- 
selyter  from  other  Churches :  you  know  such  a 
character  has  little  credit  for  generosity,  justice, 
or  piety." 

"  Well,  Mrs.  Norton,  I'll  take  a  walk  with  you 
in  your  garden,  and  look  at  your  spring  flowers  : 
I  see  you  are  gardening  very  early." 

"  With  pleasure,  Mrs.  Newel.  I  hope  we  will 
walk  in  the  garden  above." 

CONVERSATION   ON   METHODIST   USAGES,   WITH    MR. 

PORTER. 

At  another  time  Mrs.  Norton  was  jocularly 
aroused  in  a  fashionable  company  to  defend  her 
Methodist  peculiarities,  and  did  so  with  no  Httle 
effect. 

"  I  understand,  Mrs.  Norton,  that  you  are  op- 
posed to  wine-parties,"  said  Mr.  Porter. 

"  Of  course  I  am,"  was  her  reply. 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  117 

"  Well,  ]\Irs.  Norton,  I  was  at  one  of  your  meet- 
ings at  the  church,  and  really  the  company  looked 
to  me  very  much  like  a  wine-party." 

"  I  never  was  present  at  a  regular  wine-drinking 
party,  Mr.  Porter,  and  of  course  cannot  judge  of 
the  analogy  from  observation.  And,  sir,  if  a  wine- 
party  is  as  much  overjoyed  with  spirits  as  are  the 
Methodists  in  a  revival,  I  hope  never  to  be  present 
at  one.  Externally,  Mr.  Porter,  the  expressions 
of  joy  ma}^  be  the  same  in  either  case ;  but  the 
causes  of  them  at  a  wine-party  are  purely  and 
grossly  sensual,  while  those  of  a  revival  are  infin- 
itely above  any  such  carnality.  At  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost, the  people  said  the  disciples  w^ere  full  of 
new  wine,  though,  you  know,  sir,  the  cause  of 
their  wild  ecstasy  was  directly  from  Heaven.  If 
the  ecstasy  of  a  Methodist  revival  is  really  from 
the  Divine  Spirit,  as  we  believe  it  is,  I  cannot 
but  fear  your  comparison  is  a  dangerous  one  for 
you." 

"  How  so  ?" 

"Why,  sir,  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
which  is  never  forgiven,  consists,  as  I  think,  in  re- 
fi.'rring  the  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  an  ig- 
noble cause.  And  if,  sir,  a  revival,  with  its  attend- 
ant delights,  is  of  the  Spirit,  then  any  sport  made 
of  it  is  virtually  in  contcm[)t  of  the  Holy  Chost. 
If  you  ridicule  the  idea  of  a  revival   proceeding 


118  LIFE     OF     MRS.   NORTON. 

from-  such  Divine  cause,  you  but  ridicule  the  cause 
itself." 

"  But,  Mrs.  Norton,  I  was  educated  to  believe 
that  the  idea  of  the  operations  of  the  Spirit  was  a 
Methodist  delusion." 

"  Some  of  us  have  been  improperly  taught,  Mr. 
Porter ;  but  when  we  could  know  better,  and  re- 
fuse light,  we  are  personally  responsible  for  wilful 
ignorance.  Since  the  day  of  Pentecost  the  Chris- 
tian dispensation  has  been  one  of  the  Spirit ;  and 
all  the  evangelical  prosperity  of  the  Church  is  now 
from  the  direct  operations  of  that  Spirit.  You  re- 
member, sir,  that  Christ  said,  '  If  I  go  not  away, 
the  Comforter  will  not  come  unto  you ;  but  if  I 
depart,  I  will  send  him  unto  you.  I  will  pray  the 
Father,  and  he  shall  give  you  another  Comforter, 
that  he  may  abide  with  you  for  ever,  even  the 
Spirit  of  truth.'  Again,  the  prophet  said,  '  In  the 
last  days,' — that  is,  in  the  Christian  age, — '  I  will 
pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh,' — sinners  as  well 
as  Christians, — '  and  your  sons  and  your  daughters 
shall  prophesy,' — that  is,  they  shall  teach  the  truth 
of  the  gospel, — '  and  on  my  servants  and  on  my 
handmaidens  I  will  pour  out  in  those  days  of  my 
Spirit,  and  they  shall  prophesy,' — that  is,  they 
shall  speak  from  Divine  impulses.  Now,  sir,  that 
Spirit  was  to  come  on  '  all  flesh,'  and  especially 
upon  Christian  men  and  women,  and  was  to  abide 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  119 

-with  them  fur  ever.  That  operation  of  the  Spirit 
is  still  found  e\ery\vhere,  in  the  Church  and  out 
of  it,  and  revivals  nuist  be  the  fruits  of  its  im- 
pulses. You  ought  not  then  to  be  tjuite  so  free  in 
comparing  a  revival  to  a  drunken  revel," 

"0,  I  admit  the  operations  of  the  Spirit;  but 
they  are  through  the  word." 

"And  what  is  the  word,  Mr.  Porter?" 
"  '  My  word  is  spirit/  Mrs.  Norton." 
"  But  you  do  not  mean  to  say  it  is  identical  with 
the  Holy  Ghost?  that  would  be  absurd.  Christ 
says,  '  The  Holy  Ghost  shall  guide  you  into  all 
truth — he  shall  teach  3'ou  all  things,  and  bring  all 
things  to  your  remembrance,  whatsoever  I  have 
said  unto  you,' — that  is,  he  shall  show  them  the 
word  of  Christ,  which  you  call  spirit.  The  word 
of  Christ  may  always  be  attended  by  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  but  this  Spirit  may  act  on  hearts  that 
never  heard  the  gospel  word.  On  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost He  came  without  any  special  preaching  or 
reailinir  of  the  word,  and  so  doubtless  does  now." 

"But,  madam,  may  not  a  man  be  converted  in 
the  act  of  baptism  ?" 

"  Certainly  he  may,  Mr.  Porter;  ami  (lieu  again, 
he  may  be  bajdized  without  being  really  rcgene- 
ratcfl  ;  and  he  may  be  converted  and  have  the  Holy 
(J host  either  before  or  after  ba[)ti.sm.  Peter  bap- 
li/cd  those  at  the  house  of  Cornelius  after  they 


120  LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

were  baptized  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  of  others 
it  is  said,  '  The  Holy  Ghost  as  yet  was  fallen  upon 
none  of  them ;  only  they  were  baptized  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus — then  laid  they  their  hands 
upon  them,  and  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost.' 
Mr.  Porter,  do  you  believe  those  were  Christians 
that  had  received  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ?" 
"  Well  really,  madam,  it  seems  to  me  they  were." 
"Then,  sir,  it  is  a  plain  case  that  some  persons 
were  Christians  before  baptism  as  truly  as  after- 
wards ;  for  they  received  that  gift  lefore  baptism." 
"  Mrs.  Norton,  allow  me  to  ask  you  a  sincere 
question.  Do  you  not  think  that  the  excitement 
in  a  revival  is  more  the  result  of  animal  feeling 
than  of  sound  understanding  ?" 

''•  If  you  will  state,  definitely,  what  you  mean 
by  animal  feeling,  I  will  answer  you." 

"  I  cannot  define  it  precisely,  Mrs.  Norton." 
"  You  are  in  the  dilemma  of  all  I  ever  heard  use 
the  expression.     I  never  knew  any  one  that  had  a 
well-defined  idea  of  it;  nor  do  any  two  persons 
possess  the  same  views  as  to  its  meaning ;  and, 
really,  I  am  persuaded  that  it  is  a  phrase  without 
any  well-defined  meaning.     I  have  given  it  a  defi- 
nition of  my  own.     I  understand  it  to  be  a  Wind 
impulse  put  in  motion  without  any  rational  cause." 
"  I  accept  your  definition,  madam." 
"  Well,  sir,  allow  me  to  use  a  figure,  and  then 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  121 

ask  you  a  question.  Suppose  a  steamer  is  on  fire 
in  the  Mississippi,  and  it  is  impossible  to  reach  the 
shore :  would  not  universal  fear  seize  the  passen- 
gers for  their  personal  safety?  Would  not  the 
first  impulse  be  flight  from  danger  ?  Would  you 
call  this  excitement  mere  animal  feeling  ?  Is  not 
the  instinct  of  self-preservation  in  rational  beings 
distinct  from  the  blind  impulse  of  brute  panic?" 

"  I  certainly  think  self-preservation  is  the  first 
law  of  nature  ;  but  undet  its  influence  people  often 
lose  all  self-possession,  and  take  the  worst  steps  to 
save  themselves." 

"  Precisely  so,  Mr.  Porter ;  but  suppose  they  all 
see  an  open  and  plain  way  of  safety  :  will  not  their 
earnest  desire  of  escape  lead  them  to  move  in  that 
direction,  especially  if  they  are  guided,  and  warned, 
and  entreated  to  take  it?" 

"It  will  generally,  Mrs.  Norton;  but  some- 
times people  will  go  in  the  wrong  direction  in  spite 
of  remonstrances." 

"  But  such  cases  are  very  few,  Mr.  Porter,  and 
exceptions  to  the  rule.  But  even  these,  if  directed 
rightly,  will,  by  the  assistance  of  friends,  be  saved. 
Even  in  their  blindness,  if  they  move  in  the  right 
direction,  they  are  sure  to  escape.  Now,  sir,  wc 
are  on  our  way  to  eternity ;  our  vessel,  crowded 
with  passengers,  is  on  fire;  the  gospel  is  giving 
the  alarm,  and  many  Jire  suddenly  aroused  to  their 
6 


122  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

danger.  In  flying  for  safety,  Christ  alone  is  'the 
life,  the  truth,  and  the  way;'  and  however  full  of 
fear  the  heart  may  be,  none  can  be  lost  who  fly  to 
him;  for,  'Him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no 
wise  cast  out.'  Prayer  to  God — sincere  prayer  to 
God — always  results  in  salvation.  Prayer  implies 
faith,  repentance,  and  a  life  of  piety;  so  that  'who- 
soever calleth  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be 
saved.'  Your  panic-stricken  ones  who  fly  in  any 
other  direction  than  to  Christ,  are  those  blinded 
by  animal  passion,  and  not  those  who  come  weep- 
ing and  kneeling  before  God  at  the  altar  of  prayer, 
and  in  the  house  of  prayer.  And  as  there  is  joy 
to  friends  on  shore  over  those  who  escape  from 
a  wreck  at  sea,  and  as  there  is  joy  in  heaven  over 
sinners  that  repent,  so  the  joys  you  falsely  sup- 
pose animal,  and  which  Christians  experience  at 
the  conversion  of  their  neighbors  and  kindred,  are 
the  highest  of  which  our  nature  is  susceptible :  they 
are  angelic,  pure,  artless,  and  godlike.  You  may 
object  to  our  tears,  and  noise,  and  expressions  of 
happiness;  but  were  your  father,  your  mother,  and 
your  sisters  to  escape  from  sudden  and  impending 
death,  and  you  were  to  give  none  of  those  natural 
manifestions  of  joy  so  common  on  like  occasions, 
you  would  be  regarded  as  not  only  cold-hearted, 
but  absolutely  unfeehng  and  vicious.  Our  noise  is 
innocent.    It  detracts  from  the  good  fame  of  none, 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  123 

nor  filches  the  property  of  any ;  it  may  ring  through 
the  air  for  a  moment,  but  its  echo  soon  dies  upon 
ill-natured  ears.  Methodist  shouts  never  disturb 
Methodist  devotion ;  all  things  on  earth  that  move 
M'ith  power,  give  the  sound  of  their  motion ;  Jind 
you  need  not  upbraid  jMethodism  because  the  wings 
of  its  power  thunder  as  they  fly.  As  well  might 
you  chide  the  dove  for  the  hurtling  of  its  pinions 
through  the  aii\  I  hope,  sir,  yet  to  raise  a  note 
of  triumph  over  your  conversion  to  God,  and  to  see 
you,  not  joyful  'with  wine,  but  filled  with  the 
Spirit.' " 


124  LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

EFFORTS  FOR  THE  CONVERSION  OF  OTHERS — LETTER  TO  E.  H. DEVO- 
TION TO  HER  CHURCH DEATH  OF  A  SINNER PARTIES  OF  PLEA- 
SURE  CONFERENCE WOMAN'S     SPHERE    TOO    NARROW CONVERSION 

OF    MAJOR    THRASHLET OF    m'ILVAINE. 

When  the  work  of  redemption  is  completed, 
heaven  will  be  replete  with  the  glorified.  Its  seats 
will  be  filled,  its  mansions  tenanted,  and  its  table 
without  a  vacant  place.  Each  harp  will  be  tuned, 
each  crown  worn,  each  robe  appropriated ;  no 
desolation,  no  sohtude,  no  silence  or  gloom  will 
exist.  As  years  ghde  away,  the  hosts  of  Israel 
draw  near  to  the  citadel  of  the  last  enemy.  Our 
Captain  has  withdrawn  from  the  actual  scene  of 
contest  to  a  mountain  of  observation.  From  the 
hill  of  Zion  he  surveys  at  a  glance  the  whole  arena, 
and  his  angel  aids  around  him  are  sent  hither  and 
thither  to  press  the  battle  where  signals  of  distress 
are  visible.  From  time  to  time  the  weary  and 
war-worn  are  ordered  to  retire  from  the  field. 
Taking  their  stations  around  the  mount,  they  re- 
fresh themselves  for  a  season,  and  abide  as  reserves, 
to  join  the  contest  again  when  the  last  emergency 
arrives.     At  length  the  vast  army  of  Satan  will 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  125 

waver  on  the  field ;  its  lines  will  be  broken,  and 
the  rout  begin.     Then  our  Captain  will  sound  the 
last  trumpet,  and  call  the  reserves  to  the  last  charge. 
Then  the  ransomed  legions  will  rush  like  flying 
stars,  and  set  the  heavens  on  fire.    Then  will  they 
take  vengeance  on  those  that  obey  not  the  gospel. 
The  ruin  of  the  foe  will  be  complete.     Saints  and 
angels  will  witness  the  death  of  the  last  enemy. 
Then  there  will  be  glory  enough  for  all — the  king- 
dom will  come  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven.    To  the 
Christian  these  things  will  be  real;  to  his  faith 
they  are  already  present ;  he  counts  all   earthly 
gain  as  loss  compared  with  what  shall  be  revealed 
in  him.     But  wdiile  such  riches  and  honor  await 
him,  there  is  no  selfishness  in  his  heart  w' ith  refer- 
ence to  them,  nor  is  there  a  single  motive  to  self- 
ishness that  can  inspire  jealousy  of  the  salvation 
of  others.     Indeed,  the  very  first  moment  we  are 
translated  from  darkness  to  light,  and  partake  of 
the  Divine  nature,  we  instinctively  an<l  irreprcs- 
sibly  desire  that  all  the  world  shall  go  witli  us  to 
heaven.     Taking  up  the  call  of  the  Spirit  along 
the  river  of  life,  we  repeat  it  to  all,  as  soon  as  we 
have  tasted  of  its  waters.     As  love  prompted  the 
Son  of  God  to  seek  and  save  the  lost,  so  when  wc 
bear  his  likeness,  like  him  we  long  to  sec  all  re- 
turning to  the  fold  of  God.   This  inspiration  is  not 
that  of  sect  or  party ;  it  is  not  from  prejudice  or 


126  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

natural  affection ;  its  spring  is  unearthly,  its  im- 
pulse Divine. 

With  this  loving  zeal  for  the  eternal  good  of 
others,   Mrs.  Norton    was    deeply    imbued.      It 
was  not  an  intermittent   spring,  but  steady  and 
perennial   in   the  flow   of  its  even   tide.     When 
times  of  refreshing   from   the   Lord  visited   the 
Church,  she   improved   the   visitation   with    un- 
wonted alacrity ;  and  was  ever  instant  in  season 
and  out  of  season,  and  in  labors  most  abundant  for 
the  salvation  of  all  within  her  influence.    For  this 
she  visited ;  for  this  she  improved  her  casual  visits ; 
this  purpose  was  prominent  in  her  correspondence 
and  foremost  in  her  conversation ;  it  warmed  her 
prayers,  tuned  her  songs,  and  often  caused   her 
sleepless  nights  of  anxiety.    It  kept  her  heart  ever 
in  commotion ;  it  moved  her  tears,  and  sent  her 
with  unwearied  feet  to  the  house  of  sorrow  and 
distress.     Resting  or  roaming,  in  sickness  or  in 
health,  among  acquaintances    or  strangers,  from 
youth  to  later  years,  it  was  her  memorial  that  she 
sought  to  win  others  to  Christ.     In  reviewing  her 
correspondence,  the  most  persistent  efforts  to  per- 
suade others  to  become  Christians  are  observable. 
With  an  unwearied   pen,  for  more  than   twenty 
years,  she  is  found  pursuing  her  cherished  friends 
with  steady  exhortations,  and  persuasions  to  pre- 
pare for  eternity.    To  peruse  many  letters  is  often 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  127 

considered  wearisome ;  j'et  a  few  of  Mrs.  Norton's 
have  been  selected  as  specimens  of  her  constant 
frame  of  mind,  and  of  her  zeal  for  God,  which,  it  is 
believed,  will  be  read  with  interest. 

LETTER    TO    MR.  E.  H.,    APRIL    16,  1823. 

This  letter  was  to  a  young  gentleman  who  had 
lived  in  her  household  while  attending  the  univer- 
sity. In  one  of  her  remarks  she  says  :  '•  I  think 
you  can  appreciate  a  friend,  even  though  that  friend 
be  a  female  much  older  than  yourself;  and  I  trust 
you  will  allow  her,  at  least  in  some  degree,  to  as- 
sume the  monitor.  I  may  be  presuming,  but  I 
think  you  will  respect  my  sincere  expression  of 
esteem  for  you.  .  .  . 

"  I  have  received  your  letter,  and  hold  converse 
awhile  with  my  young  friend.  You  mention  your 
conduct  on  the  morning  you  left  us  with  regret ; 
but  believe  me  there  was  no  need  of  apology,  nor 
of  language  to  express  feelings  which  were  mani- 
fest in  all  your  deportment.  You  say,  '  Perhaps 
our  friendship  may  die.'  Do  not  for  a  moment 
harbor  such  a  thought;  for  friendship  based  on 
proper  principles  is  lasting  as  the  mind.  Do  you 
know  that  T  iiululgc  the  hope  that  friendsliip  .'^uch 
as  this  will  hlooiii  in  inimortality  ?  By  your  let- 
ters cannot  1  enter  into  your  feelings,  and  be  ac- 
quainted witli  the  general  state  of  your  mind  ?  and 


128  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

by  mine  may  you  not  learn  my  real  sentiments  of 
heart  ?  and  will  you  not  regard  my  eflusions,  how- 
ever admonitory y  as  the  manifestation  of  a  pure  and 
sincere  friendship  ?  I  sometimes  think  it  an  omen 
for  good  that  you  are  associated  in  my  mind  with 
hallowed  objects.  Association  of  ideas  is  in  me 
very  strong.  Sometimes  the  most  apparent  trifle 
opens  a  vista  through  departed  years.  A  strong 
current  of  air  always  forcibly  reminds  me  of  run- 
ning waters,  and  of  the  lovely  streams  on  whose 
banks  I  so  often  strayed  when  life  was  new,  and 
care  had  not  disturbed  my  repose.  The  wings  of 
the  wind  never  bear  to  me  the  perfume  of  certain 
flowers,  but  with  them  rush  the  recollections  of 
youth,  and  of  the  spot,  overgrown  with  flowers, 
where  my  forefathers  lived.  Music  recalls  to  me 
the  days  and  the  friends  which  death  and  distance 
have  separated  from  me.  Like  a  distinct  land- 
scape, they  rise  and  pass  before  me,  and  disappear. 
And  shall  not  eternity  restore  my  friends  ?  You 
ask  if  '  I  ever  feel  a  disposition  to  weep,  and  give 
up  to  momentary  grief  for  the  sake  of  mournful 
pleasure  ?'  I  answer,  '■  Often.'  I  do  not  call  this 
a  useless  matter.  In  those  delicious  moments  of 
mournful  joy,  I  feel  conscious  of  a  divinity  within 
that  is  immortal.  Your  feehngs  so  touchingly  de- 
scribed must  teach  your  own  eternity.  Like  the 
caged  bird,  the  soul  struggles  to  gain  its  native  ele- 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  129 

ment.  It  mourns  while  detained  in  this  body  of  sin 
and  infirmity.  If  in  this  Hfe  we  feel  so  much,  whjit 
must  be  our  emotions  when  freed  from  clay,  if  pu- 
rified through  the  atonement  ?  Shall  we  nedect 
this  illustrious  guest  ?  Shall  we  offer  it  food  that 
will  unfit  it  for  celestial  flight  ?  Shall  it  be  defiled 
and  cloGoed  with  sin,  and  lost  for  ever  ?  Let  us 
guard  this  precious  treasure ;  let  it  be  cleansed  by 
a  Saviour's  blood,  and  thus  prepared  for  inefi)ible 
delights.  .  .  Some  of  your  sentiments  were  painful 
to  me — your  better  judgment  will  not  assent  to 
them.  .  .  I  wish  you  always  to  write  me  what  you 
feel  and  think  ;  but  I  wish  you  to  avoid,  if  possi- 
ble, such  thoughts.  Your  description  was  interest- 
ing and  subhme.  At  such  a  season  remember 
God.  Nothing  but  the  interposition  of  the  Divine 
hand  could  have  rescued  you  from  involving  your- 
self and  others  in  deepest  woe.  It  may  be  said, 
'  It  happened  so ;'  but  '  such  chances  Providence 
obey.'  Then  acknowledge  God,  adore  his  good- 
ness, and  where  you  cannot  fully  comprehend,  be 

not  impatient,  but  trud Your  enjoyments 

must  be  of  a  refined  nature,  and  those  of  religion  are 
refined.  God  has  blessed  you  witli  a  strong  miml, 
and  his  kind  hand  would  lead  you  by  a  way  you 
have  not  known  ;  would  sliow  you  there  is  no  li;in- 
quillity  independent  of  i)iety.  I  Jim  often  strongly 
led  to  believe  you  are  yet  to  become  an  orn;ini(iif 


130  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

to  the  Christian  religion.  You  complain  that  no- 
thing on  earth  can  make  you  happy.  .  .  0,  it  is  the 
religion  of  the  glorious  Son  of  God  that  restores 
peace  to  the  unhappy.  .  .  I  believe,  and  can  write 
from  experience,  that  religion  gives  peace  to  the 
troubled  heart.  .  .  What  more  could  you  ask  than 
the  religion  of  the  New  Testament?  .  .  Now,  my 
young  friend,  if  you  have  any  confidence  in  me, 
will  you  not  at  least  consider  a  subject  so  important 
to  your  present  and  eternal  happiness  ?  Do  go  to 
hear  Mr.  Johnson.  I  think  him  one  of  the  excel- 
lent of  the  earth.  I  have  wished  3^ou  to  hear  some 
of  Mr.  Light's  sermons  lately — they  were  truly 
sublime." 

In  this  first  letter  to  Mr.  H.,  Mrs.  Norton  brings 
forward  religion  as  the  principal  theme,  and 
through  four  closely  written  pages  urges  its  claims; 
and  in  every  successive  letter  to  the  day  of  her 
death,  she  gave  line  upon  line,  and  precept  upon 
precept.  In  other  letters,  she  breathes  the  same 
ardor  for  the  personal  salvation  of  those  to  whom 
she  writes.  In  January,  1824,  she  says,  "  I  beheve 
my  letters  will  be  sacredly  revered  by  you :  in 
them  I  have  endeavored  to  lead  you  to  virtue  and 
piety,  as  to  those  means  which  soothe  us  in  the 
present  life,  and  fit  us  for  the  life  to  come.  I  wrote 
from  experience,  and  if  my  letters  have  had  any  in- 
fluence on  your  character,  I  am  more  than  gratified." 


LIFE  OF  MRS.  NORTON.       131 
DEVOTION  TO  HER  CHURCH. 

In  1824,  she  writes  to  an  irreligious  friend  as 
follows  : 

"  Lexington  is,  as  you  may  conjecture,  much  as 
it  was  last  winter — I  believe  not  quite  so  gay.    Dr. 
Holly's  '  metaphysical  lectures '  commenced  some 
time  since.     I  heard   his   introductory,  and  was 
pleased.     I  expected  to  have  attended  regularly ; 
but  the  lectures  commenced  at  six  o'clock,  and  con- 
tinued three  nights  in  the  week,  two  of  them  inter- 
fering with  our  meeting  nights.    I  confess  that  my 
taste  is  old-fashioned  enough  to  prefer  Mr.  Light 
with  the  Bible  for  his  text-book  to  Dr.  Holly  with 
Brown  for  his  :  this  is  the  honest  reason  why  I  am 
not    dccj)    in    metaphysics.     By  this   time  useful 
knowledge  of  every  kind  is  desirable  to  me,  and  I 
trust  I  have  some  taste  for  its  acquisition;  but 
that   knowledge    immediately  from  above,  which 
leads  more  directly  to  nature's  God,  to  his  perfec- 
tions, which  inspires  me  to  worship  and  obey  him 
as  the  source  of  all  being  and  good — the  knowledge 
which  makes  me  acquainted  with  my  own  heart,  and 
leads  to  examination  and  amendment  of  character — 
such  knowledge  I  deem  of  the  highest  importance  to 
me.    0  my  friend,  it  is  only  the  knowl(Mlge  of  Cod 
that  cnn  prepare  us  for  life.     What  is  nil  beneath 
the  sun  to  us  if,  when  sumnioiied  to  die,  we  have 


132  LIFE    OF     MUS.    N  Oil  TON. 

the  rudiments  of  religion  to  learn  ?     We  should, 
above  all  things,  know  God  for  ourselves." 

DEATH     OF     A     SINNER. 

This  passage  was  written  to  a  friend,  in  1824. 
She  says : 

"  How  shall  we  appear  before  Jehovah  ?  Sur- 
rounded as  we  are  by  gospel  hght,  we  are  certainly 
without  excuse  if  we  repent  not.  God  must  be  to 
us  a  God  of  justice,  and  if  not  reconciled  to  him 
through  atoning  blood,  how  shall  we  stand  before 
him  ?  These  suggestions  have  been  partly  occa- 
sioned by  the  dying  words  of  an  acquaintance.  Late- 
ly, in  the  prime  of  Hfe,  he  entered  eagerly  into  all 
its  follies.  He  almost  thought  religion  and  religious 
people  unworthy  of  notice.  He  scarcely  deemed 
a  minister  of  God  worth  hstening  to.  But  this  poor 
dear  friend,  when  on  his  death-bed,  though  a  man 
of  firmness  in  life,  said,  '  I  would  willingly  cast 
myself  on  a  Saviour's  mercy,  if  I  only  Jcnetv  lioiv! 
Mournful  ignorance  !  I  was  present  when  his  af- 
flicted wife  and  weeping  family  in  anguish  sur- 
rounded him.  He  was  calm  as  could  be  expected, 
but  if  worlds  could  have  purchased  him  consola- 
tion in  Christ,  and  triumph  in  death,  they  would, 
if  possible,  have  been  freely  given.  0,  '  in  that 
dread  moment  how  the  frantic  soul  ran  to  each 
avenue,  and  shrieked  for  help,  but  shrieked  in  vain : 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  133 

the  foe,  like  a  staunch  murderer,  stood  steady  to 
his  purpose,  and,  forced  to  the  eternal  verge,  the 
sinner  sank  for  ever.'  Is  this  a  dream  ?  I  would 
it  were.  .  . 

"  My  letter  has  again  become  serious,  but  I 
make  no  excuse  ;  the  solemn  importance  of  religion 
is  my  best  apology.  May  you  and  I  be  saved  with 
an  everlasting  salvation." 

r  A  R  T  I  E  S    OF     PLEASURE. 

Mrs.  Norton  had  but  little  taste  for  large  social 
assemblies;  smaller  companies  of  friends  were  to  her 
delightful  and  profitable.  The  following  extract 
expresses  her  opinions  very  candidly : 

"  Oct.  4,  1825.  ...  I  am  and  have  been  much 
engaged  lately,  and  am  now  very  much  hurried.  .  .  . 
Mr.  J.  A.,  who  you  recollect  as  a  ftivorite  of  Mr. 
Norton  and  myself,  was  married  last  Thursday 
night.  We  were  at  the  wedding,  and  we  intend  giving 
him  a  party  one  day  this  week ;  and  I  suppose  it 
can  be  nothing  else  than  a  squcc.ve.  This,  with 
preparing  to  start  on  our  journey  to  you  next  week, 
will  keep  us  very  busy.  You  know  that  crowds 
and  large  parties  are  not  congenial  to  me,  and  I 
never  go  to  them — never  when  I  can  avoid  it ;  but 
I  cannot  avoid  giving  them,  out  of  friendsliip.  This 
may  seem  incon.sistent ;  but  it  is  so — I  cannot  ex- 
plain." 


134  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

THE     CONFERENCE. 

Mrs.  Norton  delighted  in  all  meetings  pertaining 
to  her  Church,  and  especially  in  those  of  the  An- 
nual Conference ;  and  as  often  as  possible  was  pre- 
sent, though  she  sometimes  reached  them  through 
long  and  fatiguing  journeys. 

The  operations  of  our  economy  are  always  in- 
spiring. People  and  preachers,  after  a  few  years 
of  intimate  friendship,  are  sundered  for  years,  or 
until  the  last  trumpet.  The  mutual  acquaintance 
of  the  Church  and  ministry  is,  with  us,  very  ex- 
tensive, and  the  Conference  is  our  common  place 
of  reunion,  if  it  occurs  after  separation.  If.  we 
station  ourselves  at  the  reception  point  as  the 
preachers  come  up  from  their  distant  fields  of  labor, 
we  are  likely  to  meet  with  incidents  at  once  thrill- 
ing and  delightful.  In  every  direction,  towards  the 
first  Tuesday  of  the  Conference  week,  we  may  see 
the  highways  dotted  with  travelhng  strangers.  As 
they  approach,  the  preachers  in  waiting  begin  to 
guess  who  they  are.  Conversation  waxes  warm. 
Methodists  who  have  come  from  distant  sections 
to  see  their  old  preachers,  look  earnestly  at  the 
comers,  and  emotion  begins  to  swell  as  their  former 
pastors  are  named  as  at  hand.  One  after  another 
as  they  come  on,  loud  bursts  of  congratulation,  and 
shaking  of  hands,  and  gleams  of  joy,  accompanied 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  135 

with  shining  tears  or  ghstening  eyes,  produce  sen- 
sations that  extend  to  disinterested  spectators.  It 
reminds  the  Christian  strongly  of  the  great  Con- 
ference above,  where  those  who  have  gone  before 
will  stand  together,  and  guess  at  and  congratulate 
the  pilgrims  and  soldiers  as  they  enter  the  city  of 
God  on  every  side,  and  hasten  to  congregate  at 
the  temple  of  light.  None  enjoyed  a  Conference 
reunion  more  than  Mrs.  Norton.  She  has  written 
no  essay  upon  the  subject ;  but  in  numerous  letters 
she  speaks  of  it  in  terms  of  delight.  "Writing  on 
one  occasion  to  a  friend  who  enjoyed  the  privilege 
of  which  she  was  deprived,  she  says,  (1825 :) 

"  0  how  much  I  should  have  been  delidited  to 
have  been  at  the  Conference  !  Perhaps  to  you  it 
has  been  of  little  interest.  You  hear  too  often  with 
a  criticizing  spirit,  and  you  lose  the  substance  in 
the  letter.  You  ought  to  be  a  Christian ;  for,  my 
friend,  to  be  a  Christian  is  to  gain  for  the  heart  an 
object  at  once  so  pure  and  so  great,  that  there  is 
little  danger  of  loving  it  too  much,  or  of  loving  it 
impi'operl?/ .  '  Religion,  without  destroying  the  af- 
fections, controls  and  employs  them,  and,  like  the 
fabled  transmuting  power,  turns  all  it  touches  into 
gold.' " 

L  I  B  E  K  T  Y    O  1'    AV  0  MAN    TOO    C  I  R  C  U  M  S  C  H  I  B  E  I). 

Wliil(^  much  has  been  done  for  the  elevation  of 
the  social  position  of  woman,  there  are  yet  many 


136  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

prerogatives  of  which  she  is  improperly  denied. 
She  is  still  fettered  with  shackles  of  a  refined  bar- 
barism M'ith  which  prejudice  binds  her  refined  na- 
ture. There  is  too  much  distrust  of  woman  ;  too 
much  of  tyrannical  surveillance  exercised  over  her; 
she  is  the  subject  of  too  much  penitentiary  educa- 
tion and  discipline  to  admit  the  full-orbed  display 
of  her  truly  dehcate  and  superior  character.  A  line 
of  demarcation  between  the  duties  of  the  sexes 
should  exist ;  but  too  much  of  isolation  and  sepa- 
rateness  are  injurious  to  society.  Woman  is  not  a 
mere  creature  of  sense  and  show ;  and  wherever 
custom  renders  her  a  mere  material  appendnge  to 
social  life,  it  should  be  promptly  annihilated.  Mrs. 
Norton's  views  on  woman's  sphere  are  admirable, 
and  a  few  are  here  presented.  In  1828,  she  writes 
to  a  distinscuished  friend  as  follows  : 

"  I  write  just  what  I  think.  But  while  I  would 
have  you  think  of  me  as  I  deserve,  I  candidly  ac- 
knowledge that  to  have  the  good  opinion  of  my  fel- 
low-creatures is  gratifying.  The  esteem  of  men 
of  sense  and  refinement  and  of  superior  talents,  I 
think  I  have  a  mind  capable  of  appreciating.  I  hope 
I  shall  always  maintain  an  independent  and  digni- 
fied course,  and  enjoy  an  interchange  of  thoughts 
with  gifted  spirits. 

"  The  world  is  not  just  towards  our  sex  and 
mind ;  its  customs  are  tyrannical,  and  calculated  to 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  137 

keep  us  almost  dunces.  If  a  woman  dare  to  talk 
good  sense,  and  refuse  to  enter  into  the  common- 
place chit-chat  of  the  day,  she  is  at  once  ignored 
as  eccentric,  sentimental,  etc.,  etc. ;  and  to  corre- 
spond with  any  gentleman  but  her  husband,  why, 
it  is  just  tolerated,  and  hardly  that.  I  am  aware 
of  all  this,  and  nuist  acknowledge  its  influence  on 
me,  and  believe  it  has  prevented  me  from  receiving 
and  "-ivino-  benefit.  I  cannot  believe  the  enlargement 
of  our  minds  would  make  us  masculine  in  our 
manners.  Were  that  to  be  its  effect,  then  keep  us 
in  ignorance.  To  deprive  us  of  intellectual  inter- 
course with  the  other  sex,  when  innocent  and  in- 
structive, betrays  a  want  of  respect  and  confidence 
not  only  mortifying  but  degrading  to  us.  Are  per- 
sonal charms  the  onl}^  excellence  man  sees  in  wo- 
man?  ' 

"  The  influence  of  woman,  as  it  is  called,  is,  I 
fear,  but  the  influence  of  material  beauty.  But 
this,  sir,  be  it  ever  so  great,  is  l)nt  dust  in  tiie 
balance  compared  to  the  charms  of  refined  female 
intellect.  It  is  true,  and  melancholy  as  true,  that 
many  gifted  female  writers  have  injured  our  cause 
by  forgetting  the  real  dignity  and  modesty  of  our 
sex.  But,  thanks  to  the  enlightening,  refining,  and 
purifying  influences  of  religion,  the  time  is  near 
when  father,  liusbiHid,  and  brother  will   trustingly 


138  LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

confide  in  her  whose  principles  are  holy,  and  whose 
thoughts  are  controlled  by  a  spotless  mind.  .  .  . 

''  I  send  you  Dr.  Chalmers'  Evidences  of  Chris- 
tianity. 0  that  God  may  be  known  to  you  as  the 
author  of  your  salvation." 

CONVERSION  OF  MAJOR  THRASHLEY. 

Major  Thrashley  was  a  gentleman  of  influence 
and  fortune,  and  his  family  was  extensive  and  ele- 
gant. He  came  from  Virginia,  and  settled  in 
Woodford  county,  Kentucky.  He  had  been  a  Bap- 
tist preacher ;  but  abandoning  the  pulpit,  became, 
professedly,  an  infidel,  and  was  devoted  to  the  pur- 
suit of  wealth  and  pleasure.  While  in  this  condi- 
tion, Mrs.  Norton  made  his  acquaintance.  Being 
deeply  concerned  for  his  salvation,  she  made  it  a 
subject  of  prayer  and  personal  effort.  She' visited 
his  house  in  company  with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Keen, 
of  Lexington,  and  broached  the  concealed  object 
of  her  heart.  He  stated  to  her  his  past  history 
and  experience,  confessing  that  he  had  been  once 
a  minister  of  the  gospel,  but  denied  the  reality  of 
vital  piety.  "  Mrs.  Norton,"  says  her  husband, 
"  then  took  up  the  subject  with  great  liberty  of 
speech  for  tivo  tvhole  days,  when  her  arguments 
confounded  him.  He  then  went  to  church  and 
made  open  profession  of  his  reclamation  through 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  139 

Mrs.  Norton's  conversations.    He  remained  in  the 
Church  until  his  death." 

The  sensation  produced  by  Major  Thrashley's 
open  profession  is  said  to  have  been  wonderful : 
many  were  induced  by  it  to  become  religious  :  his 
family  were  all  converted,  and  some  of  them  still 
live  to  testify  of  the  grace  of  God  through  ]Mrs. 
Norton's  zeal.  The  Major  died  in  the  triumphs  of 
faith,  and  was  doubtless  in  the  throng  of  the  glo- 
rified that  gave  Mrs.  Norton  "an  abundant  en- 
trance into  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord."  The  fol- 
lowing letter  will  illustrate  the  glory  of  his  recla- 
mation. 

M/UOR   thrashley's   LETTER   TO   MRS.  NORTON. 

"  September  13,  1814. 

"  My  dear  Sister  : — Glorious  news  !  The  Lord 
is  with  me  of  a  truth  !  Such  love-feasts  !  such  holy 
desires !  such  heavenly  breathings  for  hours  to- 
gether !  such  floods  of  tears  of  gratitude  I  never 
experienced  before.  Sometimes  I  have  almost 
faith  to  believe  '  your  spirit  is  with  me.'  I  feel 
that  the  Lord  has  heard  your  cries  and  prayers 
for  me.  I  love  you,  my  sister,  for  God's  sake — a 
love  that  the  world  knows  nothing  of  I  foci  de- 
termined to  walk  with  God,  and  want  you  to  w.dk 
with  us.  I  feel  the  fear  of  the  Lord  before  my 
eyes.     I  feel,  as  1  told  you  some  time  ago,  like  a 


140  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

piece  of  soft  wax ;  and  I  want  my  God  to  stamp 
]iis  own  image  upon  me.  Dear  sister,  the  tears 
flow  so  fast  at  this  time  that  I  can  scarcely  see  to 
write,  and  hold  ray  head  on  one  side  to  keep  the 
tears  from  my  paper.  My  sweetest  times  for  two 
days  have  been  about  an  hour  before  day — I  awoke 
and  God  was  with  me.  I  have  faith  that  the  Lord 
is  doing  a  great  work  by  you.  Sometimes  I  feel 
like  I  want  the  Lord  to  set  me  to  work ;  but  I  am 
afraid  to  fetch  one  step  for  fear  of  doing  wrong.  I 
feel  so  much  insufiiciency  that  I  am  afraid ;  but  I 
take  comfort  when  I  reflect  that  my  desires  are 
holy.  I  am  not  satisfied  Avith  faith  alone ;  I  want 
knowledge,  temperance,  godliness,  brotherly  kind- 
ness, and  charity.  Tell  me,  my  sister,  can  such 
desires  come  from  any  but  God  ?  Tell  Mr.  Nor- 
ton I  want  him  to  walk  with  us ;  that  I  have  a 
heart  large  enough  to  take  him  and  all  the  world 
to  heaven.  Tell  Patsy  I  feel  like  the  Lord  would 
help  her.  When  I  reflect  what  a  poor,  feeble  faith 
I  had  on  Sunday  last,  it  appears  that  I  might  have 
smothered  it,  and  lost  it  for  ever,  had  I  not  snatched 
hold  of  that  moment  to  proclaim  it.  But  blessed 
be  God  that  you  gave  me  courage.  Pray,  my  sis- 
ter— wrestle  with  God  for  me,  that  I  may  know  how 
to  serve  him.  My  whole  desire  is  for  holiness. 
That  favorite  text  that  was  applied  to  my  soul  a 
few  days  ago,  still  hovers  over  me—'  Blessed  are 


LIFE     OF     MllS.    NORTON.  141 

they  that  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness, 
for  they  shall  be  filled.'  Pray  write  me  every  op- 
portunity, and  let  me  know  whether  you  are  grow- 
ing in  grace  or  not.  My  refreshing  is  from  the 
Lord — I  feel  him  present — I  shall  surely  pray  for 
you.     Adieu  for  this  time. 

"  T.   TlIRASHLEY." 

The .  childlike  fervency  of  this  letter  will  be  ap- 
preciated by  many  who  have  had  the  same  expe- 
rience. 

"Perhaps  you  think  I'm  wild, 
Or  simple  as  a  child," 

is  often  sung  by  the  happy  Christian  to  the  as- 
tonished unbchever ;  and  his  explanatory  response 
is  simply  this : 

"  I  am  a  child  of  glory  ! 
Just  born  from  above : 
My  heart  is  Christian  love  ! 
I  love  to  tell  the  story." 

Thank  God  for  humble,  childlike  religion  !  Thou- 
sands have  enjoyed  it  in  other  years ;  and  thousands 
everywhere  enjoy  it  now.  Though  simple,  it  is 
not  silly  ;  though  ardent,  it  is  not  fanatical ;  liuiu- 
ble  and  sincere,  it  is  godlike  and  full  (»r  imiiKtrlMlit}-. 

CONVERSION    OF    MRS.  m'iLVAINE    AND    FAMILY. 

Mrs.  C.  S.  M'llvaino  is  the  wife  of  a  hrulhcr  of 
Bishop  M'llvainc,  of  Ohio.  Her  letter  is  interest- 
imr. :  it  is  another  illustration  of  the  fact  that  Mrs. 


142  LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

Norton  allowed  no  opportunity  to  escape  of  press- 
ing home,  courteously  but  promptly,  the  great  duty 
of  knowing  the  love  of  God  experimentally. 

LETTER    OF    C.    S.    m'iLVAINE. 

"New  York,  August  28,  1849. 

"  My  dear  Friend  : — The  recurrence  of  the  cho- 
lera among  us  forcibly  recalls  past  events,  which 
caused  us  so  much  distress.  The  recollection  of  your 
good  husband's  sincere  friendship  evinced  during 
life  to  my  dear  parents,  and  its  warmth,  shown  af- 
ter death,  (yes,  even  cold  marble  shows  it,)  fills  my 
heart,  when  I  dwell  upon  it.  To  you,  my  dear 
friend,  under  God,  I  think  our  family  are  indebted 
for  the  awakening  of  our  minds  to  a  deep  sense  of 
the  importance  of  religion.  I  well  remember  when 
the  first  true  idea  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  power  and 
influence  first  dawned  upon  my  mind :  you  were 
relating  the  conviction  and  conversion  of  some  one. 
I  often  think  of  you — the  many,  many  happy  hours 
I  have  passed  with  you ;  the  days  when  we  read 
together,  worked  or  rode  :  what  a  ireat  it  was 
to  spend  the  day  alone  with  you,  while  you  read 
aloud  !  I  have  lately  been  looking  over  '  Young.' 
As  you  first  excited  in  me  an  admiration  for  his 
poetry,  it  is  natural  that  I  always  associate  you  in 
my  thoughts  while  reading  it.  It  seems  a  fit  time 
for  such  poetry  now — to  reflect  upon  time,  death, 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  143 

eternity,  immortality.  He  is  a  grand  poet.  I  re- 
member how  I  used  to  admire  your  faculty  of  me- 
mory, you  could  recall  striking  lines  so  readily :  it 
is  an  enviable  power.  I  hope  you  may  always 
retain  it." 


14:4:  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


BASCOM — ROSS DEATH-SCENE. 


The  correspondence  in  this  chapter  extends  from 

1828  to  1841.     It  will  be  interestino;  in  the  hidi- 

'est  degree  to  some  readers.    It  is  fragmentary,  but 

will  recall  to  some  now  living  the  dreamy  scenes  of 

days  that  are  sweetly  enshrined  in  holy  memories. 

LETTER   TO   BASCOM LOVE   OF   THE   OLD   CHURCH. 

"  Lexington,  October  31,  1828. 

"  My  generous  Friend — When  I  received  your 
letter  from  Pittsburg,  I  was  preparing  for  a  visit 
to  the  Barrens,  and  as  far  south  as  Nashville.  I 
concluded  not  to  write  until  our  return.  We  stayed 
much  longer  than  our  first  intention,  and  took 
Louisville  and  the  Conference  at  Shelbyville  in  our 
return  route,  arriving  here  night  before  last.  .  .  . 
In  my  friendships  I  am  Englisli-^all  English.  I 
have  heard  some  of  those  sayings  that  you  speak 
of,  but  do  not  for  a  moment  believe  that  you  have 
not  many  warm  friends  on  our  side,  as  you  term  it, 
or  tvill  have  it.     Positively  I  am  not  enough  in- 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  145 

formed  on  the  subject  to  reason  on  it.  I  do  feel  a 
warm  side  for  old  Methodism — primitive  Method- 
ism— and  know  very  little  about  the  Beform  ques- 
tion. It  may  be  prejudice  or  English  stupidity 
again,  but  I  love  my  Church  as  I  do  my  friends, 
and  cannot  bear  to  think  it  has  any  faults.  This 
you  will  say  is  weakness  ;  but  I  grant  I  am  a  very 
woman,  and  of  course  the  weaker  vessel ;  and  St. 
Paul,  who  Jcneio  our  sex,  has  prohibited  or  exemi)ted 
us  from  Church  government  allliirs ;  and  I  am  glad 
of  it. 

"  But,  seriously,  there  are  many  with  us  who  are 
willing  to  think  and  let  think ;  who  will  not  be- 
lieve every  flying  report,  nor  sit  silently  by  and 
hear  you  defamed.  I  am  truly  sorry  there  is  so 
much  warmth  and  party  feeling  between  those  who 
should  be  of  one  heart  and  one  mind,  and  that  the 
mind  of  him  who  was  meek  and  lovely.  0,  my 
brother,  when  will  these  controversies  cease,  and 
brotherly  love  be  restored  to  our  Zion  ?  .  .  I  dined 
on  Sabbath,  in  S.,  with  Bishop  Roberts.  Soon  af- 
ter I  saw  him,  he  said,  '  I  have  lately  seen  uur 
mutual  friend,  Henry  B.,  and  heard  him  profich,' 
etc.  What  an  amiable  man  ho  is  !  Don't  you  think 
Bishop  Soule  a  great  man  ?  I  do.  I  lioard  some 
excellent  preaching  at  Conference.  .  .  .  We  cer- 
tainly expect  you  here;  and  whether  you  care 
about  seeing  us  or  not,  remombnr  your  home  is  on 
7 


146  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

the  hill ;  and  though  the  roses  are  feded,  and  we 
have  not  many  inducements  to  lead  you  here,  I 
can  at  least  assure  you  a  warm  reception  and  a 
lieariy  welcome.  liow  I  do  wish  you  and  Brother 
Uoss  might  meet  here  !" 

REV.     MR.     ROSS. 

The  memory  of  Mr.  Ross  is  treasured  in  Lex- 
ington as  one  of  the  loveliest  men  ever  known 
in  that  city.  In  person  he  was  elegant ;  in  grace- 
fulness of  manners  unsurpassed ;  in  abilities  the 
rival  of  Bascom  or  Summerfield ;  and  in  fervid 
piety  a  seraphic  flame.  As  a  minister,  his  services 
were  sought  by  all  denominations,  and  his  minis- 
trations were  everywhere  thronged  with  a  de- 
lighted and  profited  auditory.  He  was  editor  of 
the  "  Gospel  Herald."  Its  pages  were  instinct  with 
force,  and  radiant  with  beauty :  when  he  finished 
a  theme,  all  was  said  that  was  ■  demanded ;  clear, 
pointed,  and  pleasant,  he  seemed  to  cure  by  the 
very  wounds  he  made,  and  all  said  of  him,  "  Let 
the  righteous  smite  me,  and  it  will  be  a  kindness." 
Such  men  remain  briefly  below — "  early  they  take 
a  passport  to  the  skies."  The  gleam  of  promise  on 
the  clouds  of  our  sphere,  they  are  the  momentary 
harbingers  of  what  earth  shall  be  when  the  shades 
of  error  shall  disperse,  and  earth  be  trod  by  angel 
feet  through  the  bright  Sabbath  of  our  God. 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  147 

Mr.  Ross  was  born  and  brought  up  in  Baltimore, 
and  highly  educated.  He  removed  to  Jonesboro', 
Tennessee,  and  engaged  in  commercial  business. 
Owing  to  his  native  generosity,  and  unfortunate 
endorsements,  he  failed  in  business.  Riding  into 
the  town  one  evening,  he  saw  several  persons  ap- 
proaching the  Methodist  house  of  worship  to  attend 
a  prayer-meeting.  Reaching  home,  and  supper 
over,  he  said  to  his  wife,  "  I  have  never  attended 
a  Methodist  meeting  in  my  life,  though  brought  up 
in  a  city  of  Methodism ;  and  I  feel  like  going  to  their 
prayer-meeting  to-night."  His  wife  responded,  "I 
have  all  the  evening  been  thinking  how  much  I 
would  like  to  go  there  to-night  myself."  They 
both  immediately  set  out,  and  reached  the  house 
before  services  were  fairly  begun.  All  the  attend- 
ants were  ladies,  except  one  man  and  some  few 
negroes.  This  one  man  was  a  very  plain,  common- 
looking  person;  and  as  he  took  up  the  Bible  and 
hymn-book  to  begin  the  services,  ]\Ir.  Ross  IV'li 
mortified  that  he  had  come.  During  the  reading, 
singing,  and  prayer,  his  views  and  feelings  under- 
went a  great  change.  The  perfect  simplicity  and 
sincerity  of  all  engaged  struck  him  as  the  surest 
testimony  of  unostentatious  and  true  piety,  and  he 
felt  as  in  the  vestibule  of  the  mercy-seat.  A  sliado, 
however,  came  over  him  as  he  began  to  wonder 
who  would  pray  next,  as  there  were  no  other  men 


148  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

in  tlie  house  but  himself  and  the  leader.  The  idea 
of  so  plain  a  man  as  the  leader  calhng  upon  any  of  the 
fnie-lookiug  ladies  there  to  pray,  seemed  presumptu- 
ous ;  he  thought  they  ought  to  resent  such  a  call, 
as  insulting.  The  hymn,  however,  being  ended, 
one  of  the  ladies  was  asked  to  pray ;  and  to  his 
astonishment  she  began.  All  knelt  but  himself  and 
wife.  The  clear,  humble,  sweet  tones  of  prayer, 
with  its  heavenly  spirit,  soon  took  hold  of  his  wife, 
and  she  slipped  upon  her  knees.  He  felt  he  was 
alone,  and  occupying  an  indecorous  attitude,  and 
so  shpped  quietly  down  in  the  dust  with  the  others. 
As  the  prayer  continued,  his  heart  became  solemn ; 
then  tender ;  then  awful ;  then  overwhelmed.  He 
turned  towards  his  wife  and  heard  her  sobbing 
aloud,  and  then  too  the  fountain  of  his  soul  was 
moved.  Two  stricken  sinners  were  there  in  that 
humble  prayer-meeting.  Their  wounds  were  dead- 
ly, unless  the  Good  Physician  should  heal  them. 
They  sought  the  Lord  there  in  that  house,  till 
they  found  him,  and  they  had  no  pride  to  carry 
them  to  rich  churches  :  where  they  were  convicted 
and  converted,  there  they  were  willing  to  worship 
God. 

Here  is  an  example  that  should  encourage  wo- 
men to  pray,  as  those  did  at  the  day  of  Pentecost. 
Prayer-meetings  will  always  be  owned  of  God.  We 
need  never  despair.     The  humble  on  earth  can, 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  149 

with  united  prayer,  lift  the  windoAvs  of  heaven  and 
let  down  floods  of  salvation;  can  break  up  the  great 
fountains  of  mercy,  and  cause  converting  power  to 
go  forth  like  the  waves  of  the  sea.  Who  knows 
but  at  length  your  faithful  prayer  may  be  the  hum- 
ble but  efficient  means  of  leading  some  wanderer 
to  God,  or  of  leading  to  the  ministry  some  Paul, 
ApoUos,  or  Cephas  ? 

"Restraining  prayer,  we  cease  to  fight; 
Prayer  makes  the  Christian's  armor  bright ; 
And  Satan  trembles  when  he  sees 
The  weakest  saint  upon  his  knees." 

The  history  of  Mr.  Ross  after  his  conversion  is  in- 
cidentally involved  in  Mrs.  Norton's  letter  to  Bas- 
com,  giving  an  account  of  his  death.  To  this  let 
the  reader  attend,  and  learn  how  sweetly  a  Chris- 
tian can  die. 

DEATH-SCENE    OF     MR.    ROSS. 

Jan-uary  4,  1834. 

My  dear  Brother  Bascom  : — Yours  of  the  29th 
came  to  hand  just  as  I  was  starting  in  a  sleigh  to 
Major  Ilanly's.  We  returned  yesterday,  leaving 
your  very  warm  friend,  E.  Christian,  in  good  health. 
This  morning  I  sit  down  to  answer  you.  .  .  .  Ijittle 
did  I  suppose  when  we  passed  you  next  morning 
what  a  year  would  bring  forth,  and  I  cannot  think 
upon  it  now  without  deep  feeling,  hi  IVicndshij)  I 
am  a  final   perseveranceist,  and  I  ask,   are  you 


150  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

coming  to  see  us  before  you  go  eastward?  All 
your  friends  here  wish  very  much  to  see  you  again 
soon.  They  speak  kindly  of  you — especially  Mrs. 
Hawkins,  who  says,  "  I  wish  he  would  come  again." 
Wc  wore  all  surprised  that  you  passed  us  without 
stopping.  We  had  hurried  to  have  a  new  bedstead 
made  for  your  room^  and  fully  expected  you  to 
rest  and  spend  some  time  Avith  us.  We  were 
not  sensible  of  any  diminution  of  regard,  and 
indeed  you  wronged  us.  I  speak  from  a  clear 
conscience.  .  .  . 

And  now  I  would  tell  you  of  our  beloved  and 
never-to-be-forgotten  Brother  Ross.  I  heard  him 
say  that  he  was  taught,  when  young,  to  think 
very  contemptuously  of  Methodism.  He  was  at 
length  accidentally  at  a  prayer-meeting — he  thinks 
a  female  prayer-meeting — at  which  there  were  a 
few  ladies,  and  some  colored  people.  While  one 
lady  was  at  prayer,  the  Lord  in  mercy  convicted 
him.  Following  the  noble  example  of  St.  Paul,  he 
instantly  laid  aside  his  prejudices,  and  followed  the 
leadings  of  the  Spirit.  Among  these  people  he 
remained  seeking  the  Lord,  and  in  a  love-feast  he 
received  the  witness  of  the  Spirit.  He  soon  began 
to  preach  that  Jesus  who  had  met  him  on  his  jour- 
ney. It  was  truly  a  privilege  to  hear  him.  Being 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business,  and  free  from 
guile  himself,  he  trusted  too  much  to  others,  and 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  151 

became  seriously  involved.  This  was  told  me  by 
Sister  Ross.  She  said  he  was  so  fearful  of  wrong- 
ing any  one,  he  had  not  done  justice  to  himself. 
Being  desirous  of  changing  his  location,  and  coming 
to  Kentucky  on  business  for  his  father-in-law,  he 
was  pleased  with  Lexington;  and  thinking  it  a  good 
place  to  educate  his  children,  he  removed  hither. 
Everybody  was  dehghted  with  him.  But  0,  how 
vain  are .  all  things  here  below  !  How  secure  we 
thought  ourselves  of  such  a  blessed  acquisition  to 
our  Church.  As  a  man,  a  citizen,  a  Christian,  and 
a  preacher,  all  were  charmed  with  him.  But  Hea- 
ven saw  fit  to  disappoint  us  all.  Tho  confinement 
to  his  paper,  his  frequent  public  speaking,  together 
with  a  hereditary  weakness  of  lungs,  conspired  to 
hasten  his  death.  Whilst  preaching  in  Georgetown 
he  was  seized  with  a  pain  in  his  breast,  and  was 
never  able  to  preach  again.  Though  he  lived  months 
afterwards,  and  attended  many  meetings,  he  gradu- 
ally sank  under  his  disease.  The  summer  was  much 
against  him,  being  damp  and  chilly,  lie  delighted 
to  ride  out,  and  did  so  while  he  was  able  to  sit  on 
a  horse,  which  he  preferred  to  a  carriage.  Mv. 
Norton,  who  was  devoted  to  him,  took  him  out 
daily  to  the  countiy  till  witliin  ten  days  of  his 
death.  The  next  day  he  wished  to  ride,  but  Mr. 
Norton  begged  him  not — told  him  he  was  ((m» 
weak.   He  got  on   iiis  horse,  bul  Iliidiii.L;  liis  words 


152  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

too  true,  he  refrained.  From  that  time  he  sank 
raiDidly,  and  never  left  the  house  agam. 

A  few  days  before  his  death,  a  few  friends  of  us 
were  sitting  in  his  room  while  he  appeared  to  be 
dozing.  I  observed  that  I  had  often  heard  Brother 
Ross  say,  "  it  was  nothing  for  a  Christian  to  die," 
and  dwelt  on  several  of  his  favorite  sentiments. 
After  some  time  he  aroused  and  said,  "  It  is  nothing 
for  a  Christian  to  die.  Sister  Norton — it  is  nothing 
for  a  Christian  to  die  :  he  has  nothing  to  lose,  but 
every  thing  to  gain."  As  he  said  this,  a  most 
heavenly  smile  lit  up  his  face,  and  he  continued, 
"  The  great  thing  is  to  he  a  Christian."  This  was 
about  three  days  before  his  death. 

When  I  was  sent  for  to  see  him  die,  I  found 
him  just  out  of  a  violent  spasm  of  the  lungs.  He 
lay  apparently  easy,  inclining,  I  thought,  to  stu- 
por. Mrs.  Ross  begged  me  to  let  her  come  into 
the  room,  and  I  did  so,  as  she  promised  to  com- 
mand her  feelings.  I  have  always  thought  it  cruel 
to  force  any  one  away  from  a  dear  dying  friend 
if  they  wish  to  sta}^  There  were  but  two  others 
in  the  room.  We  were  silent  a  few  moments,  when 
Mrs.  Ross  took  his  hand  and  said,  "0  my  hus- 
band, is  there  nothing  you  wish  to  say  to  me  ?" 
He  roused  and  answered,  "  Yes,  dear ;  I'll  talk  to 
you  when  I  have  more  strength.  I  am  very  weak 
now,  but  am  much  better  than  a  while  ago."     He 


LIFE    OF    MllS.    NORTON.  153 

seemed  to  sleep,  and  had  no  idea  he  was  dying. 
After  a  short  time,  Mrs.  Ross,  who  saw  he  was 
sinking,  could  refrain  no  longer.  She  again  took 
'his  hand,  exclaiming,  "  0  my  dear  husband,  have 
you  no  request  to  make?"  He  replied,  "When  I 
am  stronger,  dear,  then  I'll  tell  you :  I  am  better, 
but  very  weak."  She  continued  to  weep — when 
he  observed,  "  I  don't  apprehend  immediate  death, 
as  you  do."  I  then  begged  Joseph  Coales,  who  was 
with  us,  to  tell  him  he  was  dying.  I  feared,  and 
now  believe,  he  would  have  sunk  into  a  stupor 
from  which  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  rouse 
him.  I  then  very  tenderly  said,  "  Brother  Ross, 
you  have  not  much  time."  He  quickly  asked, 
"  Does  the  doctor  think  so  ?"  I  answered,  "  Yes ; 
the  doctor  thinks  it  will  not  be  long,  and  I  thought 
it  right  to  be  faithful  with  you."  "0  yes,  cer- 
tainly," said  he,  in  his  sweetest  manner — there  was 
no  start  or  confusion.  "  Well,"  said  he,  "  then  I 
wish  to  speak  some."  Then  solemnly  clasping  his 
hands,  he  said,  "  My  dear  wife,  I  commit  you  and 
our  dear  children  to  that  God  in  whose  hands  I 
am,  through  Jesus  Christ."  Mrs.  Ross  being  mucli 
distressed,  he  put  one  arm  around  hrr,  drew  her 
towards  him,  and  said,  "  Dear  wife,  this  is  a  severe 
trial,  I  know  it  is,  especially  to  you ;  but  it  is  the 
Lord."  After  some  time  he  continued :  "  You  liiivo 
been  a  dutiful,  kind,  and  affectionate  wife,  and  iiie 

7:i: 


154  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

Lord  will  bless  you.   Your  trials,  no  doubt,  will  be 
many  and  great ;  but  follow  the  Lord,  and  he  will 
comfort  you.    You  will  have  much  to  contend  with. 
The  labor  of  rearing  the  children  will  be  great ;  but ' 
the  efficient  means  will  be  the  grace  of  God." 

Thus  did  he  calmly  and  affectionately  comfort 
his  loved  companion.  She  exclaimed,  "  0  my  dear 
husband,  I  will  train  up  our  children  to  follow  in 
your  footsteps — to  follow  your  example."  He 
quickly  replied,  "  Not  mine,  dear ;  the  Saviour's." 

After  a  pause,  he  turned  again  to  Mrs.  Ross,  who 
sat  weeping  in  agony  by  the  side  of  his  bed,  and 
said,  "  My  dear,  I  expect  you  now  to  feel  the  com- 
forts of  religion.  In  the  darkest  hour  be  of  good 
cheer.  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us  ?" 
Then  raising  his  arm  in  his  own  graceful  manner, 
and  pointing  to  heaven,  he  exclaimed,  "  There's  a 
bright  world  up  yonder,  dear  wife.  There  we'll 
meet  to  part  no  more."  And  a  ray  of  that  heaven 
seemed  at  that  instant  to  illuminate  his  face.  Mrs. 
Hoss  becoming  more  distressed,  was  taken  with 
cramp ;  while  he,  as  though  forgetful  of  himself, 
pointed  to  the  mantel,  where  sat  a  bottle  of  Cologne, 
and  said,  "  Get  that  and  rub  her ;"  after  which  she 
became  more  composed.  He  then  asked  if  some 
one  would  not  sing  a  hymn.  I  rephed  I  would, 
if  he  would  name  one.  He  requested  me  to  sing, 
"  I'll  praise  my  Maker  while  I  have  breath,"  etc. 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  155 

A  couple  of  friends,  excellent  singers,  then  coming 
in,  it  was  sung  to  his  favorite  tune.  He  appeared 
wrapt  in  heavenly  communion  all  the  while,  and 
when  finished  said,  "  That  is  what  I  wanted." 

Brother  Cooper  coming  in,  he  reached  his  hand 
and  said  in  the  calmest  manner,  ''Well,  Brother 
Cooper,  the    Lord    is    ahout  to  take  me  sooner 
than  we  expected.     Will  you  try  and  meet  me 
where  we  shall  be  severed  no  more  ?"     His  two 
eldest  children  having   been    sent  for,  from   the 
country,  the  youngest  was  brought  to  him.     He 
stretched  out  his  emaciated  arm,  and  clasping  her 
to  his  bosom,  said,  in  the  sweetest  and  most  solemn' 
manner,  "And  he  took  little  children  in  his  arms 
and  blessed  them,  and  said.  Of  such  is  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.  The  Lord  bless  my  child;"  and  then 
giving  her  back,  he  after  some  time  asked  if  the 
doctor  was  gone.     I  went  to  the  back  door,  and 
found  him  weeping  like  a  child,  for  0,  how  he  loved 
him !    I  told  him  Brother  Ross  wanted  to  see  him. 
He  went  in  and  up  to  the  bedside.     Brother  Ross 
said  to  him,  in  his  own  most  peculiar  manner,  "Doc- 
tor, have  you  any  patients  to  visit  ?"    The  Doctor 
said,  "No."  "0  well  then,  you'll  stay  with  me,  won't 
you  ?"     How  perfectly  divested  of  self  was  that 
precious  man,  even  in  death  !     Otliers  were  con- 
sidered before  himself.     His  sweet  manner  to  Dr. 
Satterwhite  plainly  said,  "  Doctor,  you  can  do  uo 


156  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

more  for  me  as  a  physician ;  but,  my  friend,  my 
dear  tried  friend,  if  duty  to  others  does  not  call 
you,  stay  with  me.  You  have  done  all  that  skill 
could  do  to  save  me.  I  love  you  dearly — stay  with 
me,  my  dear  friend."  His  manner  spoke  these 
things.  He  again  desired  us  to  sing,  and  asked 
for  "  On  Jordan's  stormy  banks  I  stand." 

His  dear  children  were  now  all  brought  in.  In 
the  most  calm  and  collected  manner  he  looked  on 
them  for  an  instant,  and  then  said  :  "  James  and 
Eliza,  the  Lord  is  now  about  to  remove  your  father 
from  this  world  to  another — you  will  see  him  here 
no  more.  I  want  you  to  love  your  mother,  and 
obey  the  commandments  of  the  Lord,  as  I  have 
often  instructed  you.  Will  you  do  this — will  you 
do  it  ?" 

The  little  creatures  answered,  sobbing,  "  Yes." 
"  Then,"  said  he,  "  you  will  be  supported  in  hfe, 
you  wiU  be  comforted  and  sustained  in  death,  and 
then  mother,  father,  and  you  will  all  meet  in  that 
eternal  world  above,  to  part  no  more."  Then  clasp- 
ing his  hands,  he  solemnly  prayed,  "May  the 
Father  of  the  spirits  of  all  men  be  the  father  of  my 
children."  0,  what  an  affecting  scene  !  You  must 
recollect  how  very  interesting  Brother  Ross's  man- 
ner was.  You  remember  how  much  dignity  there 
was  about  him,  and  how  graceful  all  his  move- 
ments were — in  death  he  was  truly  majestic. 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  157 

"  His  comforters  he  comforts,  great  in  rain : 
With  unreluctant  graiuleur  gives,  not  yields 
His  soul  sublime,  and  closes  with  his  fate." 

Dr.  Blythe  now  came  to  take  leave  of  him  :  of  that 
I  wrote  you  before  :  it  was  truly  solemn. 

Mr.  Norton  now  came  to  him.  In  the  most  af- 
fectionate manner  he  said  :  "  Mr.  Norton,  you  have 
been  most  kind  to  me.  I  have  felt  an  interest  for 
you  that  I  have  never  told  you.  Seek  to  know 
the  gospel  and  its  comforts.  Put  it  not  off  to  a 
dying-bed — 'tis  a  poor  place  to  prepare  for  death. 
Seek  the  Saviour  and  his  religion.  May  the  Lord 
bless  you  for  all  your  kindness  to  me." 

Can  my  husband  ever  forget  that  scene  and  that 
prayer  ?  God  forbid.  There  was  not  a  dry  eye 
in  the  room  when  it  was  made. 

After  a  silence  of  some  time  he  observed,  "  I 
have  much  to  say  about  my  business,  but  have  not 
strength."  They  told  him  not  to  mind  it ;  all 
should  be  attended  to.  "  Then,"  said  he,  "  my 
friends  will  attend  to  the  disposal  of  my  bod};." 
No  one  answered  at  that  time.  He  looked  around 
with  apparent  surprise,  and  asked,  "  Wont  you  ?" 
Being  promptly  answered  in  the  affirmative,  he 
desired  to  be  buried  in  his  common  wearing  apparel. 
Very  often  during  the  three  or  four  hours  in  wliich 
he  was  dying,  he  would  stop  his  conversation,  and 
say,  with  a  sigh,  "  0,  I  am  very  tired  !"  but  as  if 
feeling  the  necessity  of  consoling  others,  he  would 


158  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

make  the  exertion  to  speak  again.  He  never  once 
complained,  nor  uttered  a  groan,  nor  asked  for  any 
thing,  but  lay  perfectly  composed  :  his  manner  was 
all  calmness  and  serenity.  0, 1  wish  you  had  been 
there ;  I  can  give  you  no  just  conception  of  the 
scene. 

When  Sister  Ross  found  he  was  going,  she  could 
contain  herself  no  longer.    She  had  done  wonders, 
poor  thing !    While  she  hung  over  him,  the  tears 
running  down  her  cheeks,  he  raised  his  dying-hand 
once  more  and  wiped  away  her  tears,  then  dropped 
his  hand,  and  raised  it  no  more.     How  eloquent 
w^as  that  action !    He  had  said  all  he  could  to  com- 
fort her,  and  when  his  voice  was  now  no  longer  to  be 
heard,  his  remaining  strength  was  exerted  to  show 
his  affection.     His  last  act  was  to  wipe  away  her 
tears  with  his  dying-hand !     Mrs.  Ross  was  now 
taken  away,  and  about  ten  minutes  before  he  died 
he  asked  if  she  were  better,  still  careful  of  others 
to  the  last.    His  last  action  was  to  lay  his  left  hand 
on  his  heart,  while  his  right  was  most  gracefully 
extended :  in  that  way  he  gently  slept  in  Jesus. 
So  peaceful  was  the  close  of  his  blameless  life,  that 
the  exact  moment  of  his  decease  could  not  be  told, 
though   all  were   anxiously  watching.     He   died 
about  3  o'clock  P.  M.,  August  4. 

I  think  there  was  something  remarkable  in  his 
death.  When  suddenly  apprised  that  he  was  dying, 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  159 

he  was  as  serene  as  a  summer  evening.  Tlie  ex- 
quisite sensibility  and  refinement  so  apparent  in 
his  life,  was  equally  obvious  in  his  death.  Never, 
in  all  his  sickness,  did  he  complain,  though  he  suf- 
fered great  pain.  There  was  no  shout,  but  there 
was  majestic  glory  in  his  departure.  .  .  . 

Sarah  Norton. 


160  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

MAFFIT CORRESPONDENTS MR.  NORTON. 

Perhaps  no  minister  in  America  ever  gathered 
as  many  from  the  world  into  the  Church  as  did 
Mr.  Maffit.  That  he  had  more  and  fiercer  mahgners 
than  any  preacher  of  righteousness  in  modern  times, 
may  be  readily  conceded ;  but  that  he  was  guilty 
of  any  crime  has  never  been  proved.  With  so 
many  foes  both  in  the  Church  and  out  of  it,  it  is 
incredible  that,  if  criminal,  he  had  not  been  early 
tried  by  his  peers,  and  condemned  to  the  infamy 
his  foes  assert  he  merited.  He  was  not  merely 
eloquent — he  was  in  the  most  powerful  sense  an 
orator.  Persecuted  and  forsaken,  he  was  always 
going  about  doing  good ;  turning  many  to  right- 
eousness, he  fell  in  the  glorious  work;  hunted 
down  by  malevolence,  he  died  of  a  broken  heart : 
hi^  death  was  that  of  a  Christian — he  prayed  for 
his  enemies  in  his  last  agonies.  He  was  buried  in 
the  new  graveyard  in  Mobile,  Alabama.  Not  a 
stone  marks  the  grave  of  one  of  the  most  power- 
ful seraphs  that  ever  put  lip  to  the  trumpet  of 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  161 

mercy  on  the  watclitowers  of  Zion.  His  dust  is 
immortal,  and  will  wake  from  its  slumbers  to  glory 
again.  Like  others,  he  may  have  had  his  weak- 
nesses ;  but  we  do  not  beheve  he  was  wicked ;  he 
regretted  his  imperfections,  and  never  excused  them ; 
he  was  the  traducer  of  none,  nor  can  any  alhrm 
they  were  personally  wronged  by  him.  Honest, 
charitable,  and  afiable,-  he  seemed  a  gentleman  and 
a  Christian. 

The  frequent  mention  of  him  by  Mrs.  Norton, 
makes  a  notice  of  him  here  not  at  all  impertinent : 
both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Norton  regarded  him  not  only 
as  a  superior  man,  but  as  a  useful  and  pious  one. 
In  1837,  Mr.  Maffit  preached  awhile  in  Lexington, 
and  she  writes  of  him  as  follows : 

"I  hope  I  shall  not  always  feel  and  be  in  such 
a  stupid  state  of  mind  and  body,  should  my  life  be 
prolonged.'^  I  did  think  Brother  Maffit's  excellent 
sermons  and  extraordinary  eflbrts  would  be  of  ser- 
vice to  me,  and  in  one  sense  I  hope  they  have  been. 
About  the  time  you  were  here,  the  strong  desire 
I  had  for  the  salvation  of  my  dear  husband  ab- 
sorbed every  other  thought.  I  then  felt  as  if  he 
would  yield  immediately  to  the  sweet  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  still  I  have  hope  that  he  will 
never  become  so  indillerent  as  he  has  been.   Brother 


*  Mrs.  Norton  suffered  many  years  with  a  diacaao  pcculiiirly  afflict- 
ing to  her  spirits. 


1G2  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

Maffit  is  still  in  Lexington,  and  Mr.  Norton  has 
never  omitted  hearing  him,  with  but  few  excep- 
tions— never  when  he  was  in  town.  He  was  ab- 
sent a  few  days,  but  the  very  day  he  returned  he 
was  wilHng  to  go  to  meeting,  and  is  still  going.  I 
have  not  been  well  enough  to  be  always  there,  but 
am  thankful  for  the  privileges  I  have  and  do  enjoy. 
I  rejoice  to  see  Mr.  Norton  go  without  me  :  still  he 
has  taken  no  other  decided  step.  When  I  reflect 
that  for  eight  weeks  he  has  been  attending  con- 
stantly  upon  the  house  of  God,  I  cannot  but  hope.  .  . 
Sixty  were  baptized — twelve  by  immersion.  Mr. 
Norton  took  Brother  Stevenson  to  and  from  the 
water  in  his  buggy.  .  .  Next  week  Brother  Maffit 
talks  of  leaving  us  for  Harrodsburg,  and  on  south 
towards  home  :  many,  many  will  be  sorry  to  part 
with  him.  His  congregations  are  still  large,  even 
during  the  week :  it  is  astonishing  how  he  con- 
tinues to  preach  with  profit  and  popularity.  Mr. 
Norton  says,  '  The  longer  he  stays,  the  higher  he 
rises  :'  people  seem  to  have  tired  of  slandering  him  ; 

and  as  for ,  his  very  relations  are  ashamed  of 

him  and  his  story.  His  own  sister *said,  if  he  re- 
ported any  thing  against  Mr.  Maffit,  she  would 
not  believe  him.  I  never  heard  he  was  '  a  man 
of  truth'  until  he  slandered  a  Methodist  preacher." 
Again,  in  writing  the  same  year,  she  says,  "  Bro- 
ther Maffit  interested  me  very  much,  but  the  effects 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  163 

of  his  preaching  much  more."  In  March,  1838, 
she  says,  "  Brother  Muffit  has  been  in  New  Or- 
leans, and  is  expected  here  this  summer.  At  the 
last  Quarterly  Meeting  there  were  one  hundred 
and  twelve  read  into  full  connection,  out  of  the 
one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  who  joined  while  he 
was  here.  Only  six  had  been  dropped,  and  nine- 
teen were  continued  on  trial.  So  you  see  that  it 
is  a  slander  that  '  all  his  fruit  drops  off  as  soon  as 
he  leaves.'  He  was  made  a  great  blessing  to  many 
of  the  different  Churches  here,  notwithstanding  the 
opposition  he  met  with." 

As  there  was  much  s;iid  against  ]\Ir.  Maffit  by 
defamers,  and  every  word  and  action  perverted, 
Mr.  Norton  was  particular  to  know  the  truth  of 
some  of  them.  The  following  letter  he  has  handed 
over  for  notice :  "  Mr.  INIaffit  got  in  the  stage  at 
Maysville,  on  the  morning  of  July  3d.  I  did  not 
recognize  him.  After  we  had  gone  some  distance,  he 
turned  round  and  politely  handed  me  some  newspa- 
pers. .  .  I  introduced  myself  to  him,  after  which  we 
kept  up  a  free  and  liberal  conversation  till  we  got  to 
Paris,  where  we  left  the  stage,  in  which  conversa- 
tion I  was  agreeably  edified  and  entertained.  I 
found  Mr.  Maflit  pleasing  in  his  manners,  of  fiiio 
fancy,  and  extensive  general  information.  I  con- 
fess I  was  delighted  with  his  comi)any.  and  it  woukl 
be  hard  to  convince  me  he  is  other  than  a  good 


164  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

man.  We  conversed  freely  on  most  subjects  hut 
politics.  On  them  he  was,  I  thought,  cautious  and 
reserved,  and  remarked  that  he  thought  it  did  not 
become  a  minister  of  the  gospel  to  meddle  much 
with  politics.  I  replied,  I  should  dislike  to  see 
politics  enter  the  pulpit ;  but  I  thought  it  hard  be- 
cause a  man  was  a  minister  of  the  gospel  he  should 
be  deprived  of  the  privileges  of  other  men.  Mr. 
Maffit  said  he  thought  with  me,  but  that  it  should 
be  touched  hghtly,  and  with  a  very  delicate  finger. 
Yet,  although  there  was  but  little  said,  I  thought 
I  could  gather  that  he  was  a  republican  of  the  old 
Jeffersonian  school.  I  do  not  recollect  of  any  per- 
sons in  the  stage  except  a  young  man  of  about 
eighteen,  and  a  young  lady." — August  5,  1840. 

CORRESPONDENTS. 

The  correspondents  of  Mrs.  Norton  reveal  her 
tastes  and  the  high  estimation  in  which  she  was 
held.  From  examination  of  their  letters  during  a 
period  extending  from  1814  to  1849,  they  all  ap- 
pear to  be  persons  of  very  high  order  of  mind  and 
cultivation.  A  few  are  gentlemen  of  the  first  rank 
in  our  country ;  the  remainder  are  generally  ladies 
of  ardent  piety.  They  all  breathe  the  spirit  of  lofty 
admiration  and  devoted  friendship  :  they  write  for 
counsel,  and  seldom  give  advice  ;  they  acknowledge 
indebtedness,  and  return  the  warmest  gratitude; 


LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON.  165 

they  look  to  her  as  an  anointed  child  of  God,  capa- 
ble of  instructing  and  consoling ;  as  blessed  not  only 
with  superior  gifts,  but  grace  :  a  friend  nearer  the 
throne  than  they,  and  whose  good  offices  are  ear- 
nestly to  be  sought.  Some  are  lawyers,  some 
infidels,  some  politicians,  some  preachers;  some  are 
rich,  and  others  poor;  some  are  lonely,  some  in 
crowds  ;  some  are  rejoicing  in  hope,  others  mourn- 
ing in  despair;  some  are  overwhelmed  with  misfor- 
tune, others  basking  in  prosperity ;  but  all  expect 
and  receive  the  kindest  attention.  Though  not  an 
official  of  the  Church,  nor  in  anywise  affecting  the 
masculine  character,  she  was  acknowledged  as  one 
of  those  "  handmaidens  of  the  Lord,''  on  whom  he 
had  poured  out  his  Spirit,  whom  he  had  qualified 
to  instruct,  to  comfort,  and  to  assist.  Beyond  this 
sphere  she  never  essayed  to  pass.  Energetic, 
prompt,  and  spirited,  she  was  yet  modest,  unobtru- 
sive, and  retiring.  The  eulogies  passed  by  her  cor- 
respondents are  exhibited  in  chaste  and  delicate 
lines,  and  were  intended  rather  to  cheer  her  in 
her  works  of  love  than  to  flatter  by  empty  com- 
pliments. All  esteemed  her  as  a  friend  above 
vanity  and  ordinary  weaknesses ;  as  a  creature 
whose  nature  was  like  their  own,  but  whose  heart 
had  been  severely  disciplined  into  conformity  with 
a  meek  and  lowly  spirit ;  not  one  ii(l<lresses  bcr 
but  as  an  ('fpial — not  one  but  esteems  her  "better 


166  LIFE     OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

than  himself."  One  attributes  his  conversion  to  her 
exertions ;  another  acknowledges  with  kindness 
her  efforts  to  lead  him  to  the  cross ;  one  returns 
gratitude  for  help  in  hours  of  need,  another  blesses 
her  for  comfort  amid  losses  by  mortality ;  one  asks 
counsel  and  prayers ;  another  thanks  her  in  a  dying- 
hour  ;  one  seeks  her  aid  in  a  revival,  and  another 
asks  her  presence  and  friendship  for  a  season  on 
her  way  to  heaven ;  one  mentions  her  kindness  at 
home,  another  abroad ;  all  would  be  delighted  to 
live  in  her  company  for  ever. 


MR.    NORTON. 

Mr.  Norton  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  in 


In  1802,  he  went  to  Louisville,  Kentucky,  and 
commenced  business.  The  city  at  that  time  be- 
ing very  unhealthy,  he  returned  to  his  native  State 
in  1805.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Low 
in  1807,  and,  in  1812,  returned  to  Kentucky, 
and  settled  in  Lexington,  where  he  resided  until 
his  death.  In  early  life  he  was  not  very  partial  to 
the  Methodists,  and  seemed  to  disbelieve  in  experi- 
mental religion,  through  a  misapprehension  of  its 
nature.  When  fully  advised  by  his  w^ife  of  its  true 
character,  he  cordially  approved  of  it,  and  we  think 
was  made  a  partaker  of  it.  Through  all  her  life 
after  marriage,  it  was  Mrs.  Norton's  grief  that  her 
husband's  name  was  not  enrolled  on  the  Church- 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NOR  TO  X.  1G7 

book  with  her  own.  In  many  of  her  letters  to  her 
friends,  and  in  her  conversations,  his  salvation  was 
the  burden  of  her  heart,  the  sorrow  which  gave  a 
sombre  shade  to  all  her  joys,  the  cross  that  always 
bowed  her  spirits  down.  From  his  correspondence 
it  seems,  however,  that  he  rested  alone  in  Christ 
for  salvation,  and  not  in  his  works  of  charity.  Ilis 
reasons  for  not  uniting  with  the  Church  are  given 
by  imphcation  in  a  letter  a  few  days  prior  to  his 
death. 

By  the  prudent  management  of  his  resources, 
he  became  a  man  of  wealth ;  and  though  re- 
garded by  some  as  very  covetous,  there  is  reason 
to  beheve,  from  many  an  acknowledgment  of  favors 
to  the  need}',  that  he  was  a  man  of  regular  benefi- 
cence. He  made  no  show  of  his  good  deeds  ;  but 
because  his  right  hand  did  not  proclaim  what  his 
left  hand  did,  it  does  not  follow  that  he  was  not 
generous.  lie  had  no  children,  and  many,  as  is 
commonly  understood,  seem  to  have  presumed  u|)()n 
this  fact  to  a  practical  ignoring  of  equal  rights  ;  and 
it  has  been  remarked,  that  Mr.  Norton  was  often 
nettled  by  allusions  to  this  fact,  when  asking  for 
promptness  on  the  part  of  his  debtors.  The  ])Mrli- 
culars  of  his  last  hours  have  not  reached  us  ;  but 
we  are  constrained  to  think  that  Mr.  Norton  at- 
tempted to  obtain  heaven  througli  the  merits  of 
Christ  alone ;  this  was  his  professed  faith,  though 


168  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

up  to  his  last  sickness  he  seems  to  have  made  no 
formal  profession  to  the  Church  of  such  faith. 
He  feared  God,  and  reUed  not  on  his  own  merits, 
but  on  Divine  mercy.* 

*  Died,  in  this  city,  February  9,  1858,  Mr.  John  Norton,  ia  the 
75th  year  of  his  age. 

Mr.  Nortou  was  a  native  of  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania,  and 
vras  married  in  1807,  to  the  estimable  lady  whom  he  followed  to  the 
grave  only  about  nineteen  months  ago. 

IMr.  Norton  had  been  a  citizen  of  Lexington  neai-ly  fifty  years,  and 
in  that  time  had  been  engaged  extensively  and  successfully  in  com- 
mercial pursuits,  and  had  been  intimately  identified  with  the  growth 
and  prosperity  of  the  city. 

lie  was  connected  financially  with  all,  and  ofiicially  with  some,  of 
the  public  internal  improvements  which  were  designed  to  contribute 
to  the  improvement  of  Lexington  and  its  vicinity,  and  some  of  the 
improvements  were  successfully  prosecuted  under  his  faithful  and 
vigilant  superintendence.  Mr.  Norton  was  educated  at  a  time  and 
under  circumstances  favorable  to  the  cultivation  of  a  manly  and  dig- 
nified character ;  and  if  his  virtues  were  not  attractive,  they  were  in- 
flexible almost  to  severity  and  sternness.  Such  were  the  men  of  that 
generation — characterized  by  simplicity,  firmness,  and  integrity :  men 
"whose  words  were  bonds — whose  promises,  oaths." 

If  not  by  nature,  certainly  by  education,  he  was  a  man  of  fine  so- 
cial feelings,  polite  and  attentive  to  strangers,  very  courteous  to  his 
friends,  and  respectful  to  all  classes.  No  one  could  be  in  his  com- 
pany without  being  impressed  favorably  with  his  urbanity,  alike  un- 
affected and  dignified.  Those  who  knew  him  most  intimately,  re- 
garded him  a  benevolent  man,  especially  to  the  poor ;  and  while  his 
charities  were  never  asked  in  vain,  he  was  in  this  particular  thought- 
ful and  considerate,  not  only  giving  but  bestowing  attentions  and 
sympathy  at  a  time  and  in  a  way  that  rendered  them  peculiarly  ser- 
viceable and  valuable. 

For  many  years  his  excellent  wife  was  the  President  of  the  Female 
Benevolent  Society  of  this  city,  and  in  this  way  he  became  its  patron, 
and  in  his  last  hours  was  not  forgetful  of  this  excellent  institution. 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  IGO 

The  affection  of  Mrs.  Norton  for  her  husband 
seemed  to  pass  the  ordinary  bounds  of  woman's 
love.  They  were  often  separated  for  months  by 
business  affiiirs,  or  by  visitations  to  her  early  home; 
but,  true  as  gravitation,  her  soul  was  attracted  to 
him  with  painful  longings  of  love.  In  December, 
1818,  in  writing  from  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  she  says, 
"  "Well  do  I  remember  the  spot  on  which  we  parted 
on  the  6  th  of  May.  Alas  !  since  then  how  much 
we  both  have  suffered  of  anxiety !  Many  nights 
do  I  water  my  pillow  with  tears  when  thinking  of 
you — tears  witnessed  only  by  the  All-seeing  eye. 
0,  m?Ly  that  eye  watch  over  you  for  good !  May 
God  watch  over  you,  the  dearest  object  to  my  fond 
heart  on  earth !" 

1827.  "  0  how  delightful  the  anticipation  of  tliat 
abiding  home  you  mention,  my  dear  sister,  when 
all  that  arc  near  and  dear  to  us  shall  be  with  God 
eternally.  My  heart  yearns  over  my  dear  hus- 
band, and  sometimes  when  I  sit  by  his  side  and 
look  at  him,  and  think  of  his  immortal  soul,  my 

that  bad  been  so  often  tbc  grateful  ami  faithful  almoner  of  bis 
bounty. 

Mr.  Norton  was  a  uniform  attendant  upon  the  public  worship  of 
God's  bouse,  and  has  left  a  substantial  proof  of  bis  appreciation  of  the 
institutions  of  Christianity. 

His  funeral  was  attended  by  a  large  number  of  bis  fcUow-citizcns, 
who  will  remember  bim  with  respect  and  gratitude. — Observer  nml 
Jifforter. 

8 


170  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

eyes  fill  involuntarily  :  I  can  scarce  forbear  throw- 
ing myself  at  liis  feet,  and  entreating  him  not  thus 
to  trifle  away  his  precious  moments — moments, 
alas  !  which  once  gone  can  never  be  recalled !  mo- 
ments for  which  he  might  yet  be  willing  to  give 
worlds  to  recall !  Often  when  I  return  home  from 
meeting,  I  feel  as  if  I  could  scarce  restrain  my 
feehngs ;  but  something,  I  know  not  what,  chains 
my  tongue,  while  he  little  suspects  my  internal 
conflicts,  and  that  my  affections  are  thus  powerfully 
exercised.  He  is  all  to  me — all  that  the  fondest 
heart  could  wish ;  anticipates  my  wants,  and  com- 
plies with  every  request ;  but  even  thus  amiable, 
how  much  closer  would  the  bond  of  union  be  drawn, 
were  thought  and  action  to  be  thus  united  in  the 
Redeemer's  cause,  the  family  altar  be  reared,  and 
our  hearts  become  temples  of  God  !  How  sweetly 
would  our  lives  glide  down  the  stream  of  time ! 
how  blissful  our  reunion  in  the  world  to  come ! 
You  sympathize  with  me,  dear  sister,  being  simi- 
larly related,  having  an  affectionate  husband  want- 
ing but  one  thing.    I  understand  Mr. is  not  a 

professor  of  religion.  I  cannot  resist  the  longing 
desire  for  my  husband  to  accompany  me.  It  can- 
not be  strange  we  would  wish  with  Joshua  to  say 
^  As  for  me  and  my  house,  we  will  serve  the  Lord. 


5   J> 


LIFE     OF    iMRS.    NORTON.  171 


CHAPTER  X. 

PEHSONAL    APPEARANCE — MENTAL    POWERS — ACCOMPLISHMENTS — HOME 

CIRCLE SERVANTS. 

In  early  life  Mrs.  Norton  was  esteemed  beauti- 
ful. Of  medium  stature,  erect  and  elastic,  with 
regular  features,  full  hazel  eyes,  dark  glossy  hair, 
fair  complexion,  and  animated  though  sedate  ex- 
pression, she  challenged  admiration.  When  in  con- 
versation, her  face  was  brilliant  and  her  manner 
engaging.  In  her  later  years  she  was  of  full  habit 
to  the  point  of  fleshiness ;  rheumatism  and  other 
afflictions  diminished  her  action  and  energy.  She 
was  blessed  with  a  remarkable  share  of  common 
sense,  and  her  love  of  the  humorous  and  the  beauti- 
ful were  admirably  blended  with  discriminating 
taste.  Iler  manners  were  refined  and  pleasing; 
all  were  at  home  in  her  company.  She  had  a  cordial 
dislike  to  ostentation,  to  frippery,  and  to  scnsckss 
etiquette.  Acquainted  with  all  the  rules  of  cour- 
tesy, she  detested  all  nffectation  of  excellence. 
"Wealthy  and  admired,  she  scorned  attonlion  to 
wealth  for  its  own  sake,  and  respected  only  such 


172  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

as  were  virtuous.  Simple-hearted  and  sincere,  she 
discarded  the  friendship  of  the  proud  and  vain,  and 
sought  the  society  of  the  lowly  in  heart,  whether 
rich  or  poor.  Of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  she 
avoided  the  fashionable  assemblies  of  gaudy  folly, 
and  the  vociferous  mirth  of  shallow  impudence  and 
voluptuous  loquacit}^  A  child  of  God,  she  affihated 
with.  Christians.  Her  apparel  was  not  with  "  out- 
ward adorning  of  plaiting  the  hair,  and  of  wearing 
gold ;"  her  conversation  was  not  of  idle  words,  of 
scandal,  nor  of  "foolish  talking  and  jesting,  but 
modest  and  chaste,  coupled  with  fear."  Her  godli- 
ness was  neither  sour  nor  taciturn,  bitter  nor  super- 
cilious ;  it  was  just  such  as  every  one  admires  and 
loves,  and  learns  to  revere. 

In  defending  the  doctrines  and  usages  of  her 
Church,  few  women  were  ever  more  courteous  or 
successful.  She  could  talk  calmly,  clearly,  forci- 
bly, and  right  to  the  point.  She  made  no  preten- 
sions to  argumentation,  but  many  were  made  to 
respect  her  views  by  the  clear  method  in  which 
she  stated  them :  she  was  decided  without  in  any 
offensive  sense  being  positive ;  she  was  persistent 
without  being  dogmatical ;  and  was  superior  with- 
out any  flush  of  triumph.  She  read  extensively,  and 
was  well  versed  in  theology,  history,  philosophy, 
poetry,  and  biography.  She  travelled  considerably, 
and  was  conversant  with  people,  and  manners,  and 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  173 

gi'eat  objects  :  she  saw  and  heard  much,  and  trea- 
sured all  as  her  own.  Cordial  towards  all  Chris- 
tians, she  was  a  zealous  Methodist ;  unwavering  in 
her  friendships,  and  attentive  taher  acquaintances, 
she  condescended  to  no  finesse ;  her  friendship 
was  never  deceitful.  If  her  manners  were  some- 
times cold,  it  was  the  result  of  bodily  pain  or  men- 
tal anxiety  :  her  heart  was  always  warm. 

Her  early  education  was  the  best  her  times  af- 
forded, but  education  was  with  her  the  business 
of  her  life :  she  knew  the  themes  of  the  cottage, 
and  was  at  home  among  the  palaces  of  the  noble : 
all  respected  her  knowledge,  as  well  as  her  benevo- 
lence :  her  admirers  were  among  all  ranks  of  so- 
ciety. Her  letters  are  elegant  in  style,  and  supe- 
rior in  matter :  written  without  the  least  thought 
of  the  public  eye,  they  need  no  elision,  suffer  no- 
thing from  exposure  to  criticism.  She  wrote  many 
fugitive  pieces  on  serious  themes,  both  in  prose 
and  verse — all  breathe  the  spirit  of  fervency,  piety, 
and  poetry.  Unfortunately,  her  journal  is  lost,  and 
specimens  of  her  thoughts  are  wanting  to  com- 
plete this  pubhcation. 

HOME    CIRCLE. 

The  house  of  Mrs.  Norton  was  a  favorite  retreat 
for  her_  friends.  Order  was  observable  in  all  its 
arrangements.     The  grounds  around  wore  ordered 


174  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

with  attractive  taste,  and  the  dwelling  for  comfort. 
One  of  her  friends,  in  1818,  thus  speaks  of  it : 
"  Yesterday  I  went  to  look  at  your  solitary  abode, 
my  dear  Mrs.  Norton.     In   company  were  Mrs. 
Anderson,  Sidney,  John,  and  Fanny ;  and  solitary 
indeed  it  was.    I  felt  as  Goldsmith,  when  describ- 
ing '  the  Deserted  Village.'   It  brought  to  my  mind 
the  many  happy  hours — I  should  say  weeks — I 
had  spent  there  with  you.    I  recalled  the  last  time 
I  was  there,  the  last  evening  you  passed  there,  and 
wondered  when  we  should  spend  such  another  to- 
gether.   I  thought  the  house  itself  looked  sad  and 
mournful.     On  the  window  in  the  front  room  I 
found  a  comb — one  I  had  often  seen  and  used.     I 
looked  at  the  place  where  the  piano  had  stood,  and 
recalled  the  last  time  I  had  played  on  it  there.     I 
opened  the  closets  and  cupboards — they  were  quite 
mouldy  from  the  damps.     I  rang  the  bell,  which 
was  rather  stiff  for  want  of  use.     0,  how  many 
memories  it  recalled !    I  pictured  you  to  myself 
ringing  for  Stephen  to  bring  apples,  hickory  nuts, 
wood  for  the  fire,  etc.,  etc.     I   saw  many  other 
things  which  made  me  feel  I  can't  tell  how  :  even 
the  bare  floors,  the  windows,  the  little  room  I  have 
so  often  slept  in,  all  gave  me  melancholy  pleasure. 
I  don't  know  what  I  shall  do  if  you  don't  return 
soon.     I  must  make  up  my  mind  to  freeze  :  wish 
I  could  sleep  all  the  winter,  as  the  snakes  do." 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  175 

1825.  "  My  inestimable  Friend  : — I  sincerely 
congratulate  you  on  your  return  to  '  that  blissful 
place  which  bounds  your  joy ;'  Uut  that  return  to 
your  little  Eden  has  robbed  us  of  the  'charms  of 
your  society  and  conversation.  In  vain  I  seek 
among  my  friends  that  congeniality/  of  thought,  feel- 
ing, and  taste  I  found  in  you.  ...  I  approve  3'our 
little  reading-class  very  much.  I  half  envy  you. 
How  I  m^^self  would  love  to  join  the  little  coterie  ! 
Your  time  must  pass  pleasantly  and  usefully 
away.  IIow  much  superior  are  those  females  who 
seek  inward  adorning  to  those  who  spend  their 
hours  in  dress  and  personal  decoration.  The  few 
moments  spent  in  visiting  are  too  little  devoted  to 
improvement,  too  much  to  scandal  or  the  idle  news 
of  the  day." 

Mrs.  Norton's  house  was  peculiarly  and  posi- 
tively devoted  to  mental  and  moral  cultivation. 
The  best  of  books,  the  choicest  themes  of  conver- 
sation, and  the  most  cultivated  minds,  were  always 
at  home  there,  while  the  young  were  invited  there 
for  their  benefit  as  well  as  for  pleasure.  Did  every 
lady  of  wealth  and  professed  piety  imitate  her  ex- 
ample, the  social  circle  would  indeed  be  pure  and 
refined;  then  would  its  pleasures  infinitely  sur- 
pass the  material  mirth  of  tlie  senseless  dance,  and 
the  animal  excitements  of  wine  and  cards. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Norton  were  ])oth  devotctl  to  liio 


176  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

temperance  cause,  and  their  efforts  will  be  felt 
long  and  happily  by  the  youth  within  the  sphere 
of  their  influence!  They  gave  no  wine  to  their 
guests,  nor  had  brandy  or  cordial  on  their  side- 
board. They  asserted  that  if  friendship  must  be 
purchased  and  perpetuated  by  intoxicating  bever- 
ages, they  were  not  in  the  market  as  purchasers. 
There  was  no  stinginess  in  this  abandonment  of 
drinks,  as  their  abundant  table  and  refreshments 
of  other  kinds  bore  witness  :  they  were  the  avowed 
friends  of  temperance  from  principle,  and  were  nei- 
ther ashamed  to  own  it,  nor  did  they  care  for  the 
low  hiss  of  opposition.  Independent  as  the  air, 
they  were  true  as  steel  to  their  vows. 

In  ordering  domestic  affairs,  Mrs.  Norton  never 
permitted  any  needless  extravagance  or  wasteful- 
ness. Her  servants  were  controlled  firmly  and 
mildly;  they  were  cleanly  and  comfortable  in  abode 
and  apparel,  and,  above  all,  their  religious  culture 
was  attended  to  effectually :  she  enjoyed  their 
reverence  and  devoted  affection. 

All  things  considered,  few  homes  are  as  happy 
as  was  Mrs.  Norton's.  The  extinction  of  its  light 
has  left  many  in  gloom,  and  the  fall  of  its  pillars 
leaves  thousands  to  regret,  and  many  to  tears. 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  177 


CHAPTER   XI. 

LAST    ILLNESS   AND    DEATH. 

"  Leaves  have  their  time  to  fall, 
And  flowers  to  -wither  at  the  north  wind's  breath ; 

And  stars  to  set ;  but  all — 
Thou  hast  all  seasons  for  thine  own,  0  Death." 

Day  has  its  morning,  noon,  and  evening  shadows. 
The  seasons  bud,  and  blossom,  and  decay.  Spring 
brightens  into  summer ;  summer  ripens  into  au- 
tumn, and  winter  spreads  its  silent  robe  of  snow 
upon  the  sepulchre  of  all.  So  mortals  pass  from 
dimpled  childhood  to  life's  maturity ;  then  strength 
and  beauty  sink  into  the  lonely  quiet  of  the  cloud 
that  shrouds  the  margin  of  eternity.  To  the  sin- 
ner death  appears  an  endless  sleep;  or,  startled  by 
the  thunders  of  the  storm  upon  the  boundless  sea 
before  him,  he  grows  restless  upon  his  dying-pil- 
low, and  shrieks  in  vain  for  help.  In  either  case 
"  the  wicked  is  driven  away  iu  Iiis  wickedness  ;  but 
the  righteous  has  hope  in  his  death." 

"How  sweet  the  .«ccnn  when  (.'liristiiins  die, 
When  holy  houIm  retire  to  rest: 
How  mildly  beams  the  cloning  eye, 

How  gently  heaves  the  expiring  breast!" 

8* 


178  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

Their  pilgrimage  may  have  been  an  arduous  war- 
fore  :  conflicting  and  often  agonizing  hopes  and 
fears  may  have  broken  their  peace ;  but  "the  great 
fight  of  afflictions"  ended,  they  are  ready  for  their 
departure,  with  a  strange  solicitude.  Their  faces 
are  undimmed  by  shadows  : 

«'  Triumphant  smiles  the  victor's  brow, 
'  Fauued  by  some  guardian  angel's  wing." 

The  firmament  may  have  been  dark  with  perpetual 
clouds  ;  the  bark  may  have  wrestled  with  the  giant 
spirit  of  the  tempest  through  a  more  than  arctic 
voyage ;  the  day  may  have  wept  with  showers  of 
sorrow,  and  scarce  a  calm  have  given  respite  from 
the  sickening  roll  of  tumultuous  biflows  ;  but  when 
the  Christian  is  about  to  leave  all  behind,  it  is  a 
privilege  to  mark  the  transition  in  his  expressive 
features,  and  hear  the  cheerful  shout  he  raises  on 
the  sounding  banks  of  Jordan  :  he  dies  gloriously. 

"  So  fades  a  summer  cloud  away ; 

So  sinks  the  gale  when  storms  are  o'er ; 
So  gently  shuts  the  eye  of  day ; 
So  dies  a  wave  along  the  shore." 

As  travellers  crossing  the  same  wild  river  at  dif- 
ferent fordings  are  surrounded  by  different  scenary 
and  dangers,  so  Christians  at  different  times  and 
places,  crossing  the  same  flood  to  the  land  of  pro- 
mise, are  in  sight  of  diverse  landscapes  of  the  same 
boundless  inheritance,  and  experience  diversified 


LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON.  179 

emotions  of  glory.  Sometimes  the  sky  is  cloud- 
less and  serene,  and  summer  beauties  charm  the 
soul  away.  Again,  the  spirit  seems  gradually  trans- 
formed from  darkness  into  light,  as  a  lone  cloud 
puts  on  the  brightest  hues  of  crimson,  gold,  and 
purple  when  the  spreading  rays  of  sunset  fill  the 
firmament  with  softened  fight. 

Again  it  trembles  with  excitement,  while  the 
wrath  of  a  dreadful  storm,  moving  earth  and  air, 
sweeps  along  the  howling  main  and  shaking  hills. 
But  when  the  loftier  thunders  announce  the  re- 
tiring tempest,  and  the  sun  on  the  horizon  bursts 
through  its  rifted  banners  of  wrath ;  when  fields, 
and  floods,  and  heavens  glitter  in  the  dazzling 
blaze,  and  brilliant  arches  span  the  firmament,  then 
hope  claps  her  glad  hands,  and  sings  exulting  on 
the  steeps,  in  sight  of  Canaan's  rest,  and  longs  to 
launch  away. 

Anon  the  morning  dawns  upon  the  Christian 
warrior,  as  did  the  sun  to  Israel  camped  on  Jor- 
dan's side.  The  trumpets  sound.  The  dissolved 
tabernacle  leads  the  van,  with  angel  pioneers.  Their 
feet  are  at  the  water's  edge.  The  overflowing 
stream  divides.  The  current  pauses  in  a  turbid 
wall,  and  silently,  as  if  in  reverence,  bids  the  sa- 
cred band  pass  on  in  safety  to  the  realms  of  the 
.  emancipated  saints  of  God.  As  the  Hebrew,  after 
forty  years  of  desert  life,  beheld  his  long-sought 


180  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

home,  with  thrilling  joy  and  bursting  tears  of  hope, 
close  to  fruition,  so  the  child  of  promise  exults 
when  his  immortal  home  appears  in  view. 

In  the  month  of  August,  1856,*  Mrs.  Norton  was 

*  A  Tribute  to  the  Memory  of  departed  Worth. — IMrs.  Sarah 
Norton,  late  consort  of  John  Norton,  Esq.,  of  Lexington,  Ky.,  is  no 
more  of  earth !  She  departed  this  life,  in  prospect  of  a  blissful  im- 
mortality, on  the  25th  ultimo,  although  the  sad  intelligence  did  not 
reach  us  at  this  place,  in  a  tangible  form,  until  within  the  last  few 
days.  We  have  felt  the  stroke  as  we  seldom  feel  on  such  occasions. 
Having  at  different  periods  in  the  course  of  the  last  thirty-five  years 
sustained  to  her  the  relation  of  pastor,  and,  during  those  periods, 
having  shared  largely  in  the  benefits  of  her  counsel,  and  other  kin- 
dred acts  of  Christian  beneficence,  as  well  in  the  later  as  the  eai-lier 
years  of  our  ministry,  we  must  be  allowed  to  pause  and  throw  off  for 
a  moment  the  overwhelming  cares  and  solicitudes  of  our  position  for 
the  purpose  of  paying  a  last  humble  tribute  of  respect  to  the  memory 
of  one  whose  whole  life  was  but  a  continuous  exemplification  of  her' 
many  Christian  virtues  and  elevated  attainments. 

If  we  are  correctly  advised,  she  attached  herself,  when  very  young, 
to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  York,  Pa.,  under  the  ministry 
of  the  Rev.  Robert  R.  Roberts — afterwards  Bishop  Roberts.  Some 
years  after  this,  in  June,  1807,  she  was  happily  united  in  marriage 
to  her  surviving  companion.  From  Pennsylvania  they  removed  to 
the  West,  and  finally  settled  in  Lexington,  Ky.,  where  they  con- 
tinued to  reside  up  to  the  time  of  her  death ;  from  which  it  will  ap- 
pear that  she  must  have  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church 
for  more  than  half  a  century ;  during  the  whole  of  which  period  she 
was  known  and  read  of  all  who  were  favored  with  her  acquaintance 
as  a  woman  of  noble  and  generous  bearing,  and  of  great  moral  and 
religious  worth.  She  was,  in  all  respects,  a  lady  of  special  mark 
and  distinction. 

Her  superior  intelligence,  unquestionable  piety,  general  benevo- 
lence, and  conciliatory  manners,  rendered  her  the  object  of  univer- 
sal respect  and  esteem  among  all  with  whom  she  associated.  Catho- 
lic in  spirit,  liberal  and  charitable  in  sentiment  and  feeling  towards 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  181 

called  to  a  bed  of  sickness,  and  of  excruciating 
pain — the  last  she  was  to  know.    In  childhood  she 

those  yrith  -whom  she  differed  in  her  religious  opinions,  she  was 
nevertheless  devotedly  attached  to  the  Church  of  her  early  choice. 
In  fine,  she  was,  from  conviction,  a  decided  Methodist;  and,  as  such, 
she  anxiously  desired  and  earnestly  labored,  in  her  legitimate 
sphere,  for  the  promotion  of  a  cause  which  she  had  reason  to  regard 
as  involving  the  best  iuteresis  of  the  world.  Her  zeal  was  enlight- 
ened, consistent,  and  in  perfect  keeping  with  the  high  and  holy  in- 
terests of  the  great  enterprise  vrith  which  she  was  identified. 

She  died  as  she  had  lived — a  Christian  in  the  highest  and  holiest 
sense  of  that  term.  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified,  was  the  only 
groond  of  her  faith  and  hope,  and,  consequently,  the  only  and  all- 
sufficient  source  of  her  consolation  and  triumph.  His  truth,  his 
cause,  his  Church,  and  his  people,  shared  largely  in  the  purest  and 
best  affections  of  her  heart. 

In  her  death  the  Church  has  sustained  an  irreparable  loss,  one 
that  must  be  deeply  and  extensively  felt ;  a  loss  that  will  not,  per- 
haps, be  soon  repaired.  Long  years  will  have  passed  away  ere  the 
Methodist  Church  in  Lexington,  Ky.,  will  "look  upon  her  like 
again."  In  her  death  society  has  been  deprived  of  one  of  its  most 
"loved  and  valued  members."  A  "bright  and  burning  light"  has 
been  extinguislied,  never  to  be  rekindled  in  this  "theatre  of  crime, 
and  exile  of  misery." 

No  more  will  her  presence  grace  the  spacious  halls  of  her  hospita- 
ble mansion,  or  add  to  the  beauty  and  loveliness  of  the  rich  and  fra- 
grant fruits  and  flowers  of  her  splendid  garden  walks.  No  more  will 
her  presence  animate  the  devotions  of  the  sanctuary,  or  cheer  the 
hearts  of  the  poor,  afflicted,  and  disconsolate  of  earth. 

A  mother  in  I.srael,  beloved,  admired,  and  revered  by  all,  is  gone: 
gone  ft-om  this  scene  of  labor  and  conflict,  of  turmoil  and  strife,  to 
ber  long-sought  home  "far  up  in  the  skies." 

Let  us,  (lien,  not  sorrow  as  those  tluit  liave  no  liope;  but,  believ- 
ing that  Jesus  died  and  rose  again,  let  us  confi<lcnlly  liopc  and  dili- 
gently prepare  for  the  coming  of  that  joyous  day  in  which  the  fricnda 
of  Jesus  shall  meet  to  part  no  more  for  ever. 

With  fho  bereaved  husband  we  deeply  sympathize,  having  drunk 


182  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

had  joined  the  company  of  strangers  and  pilgrims 
on  their  way  to  "  the  city  which  hath  founda- 
tions."   Now,  from 

"  The  soul's  dark  cottage,  battered  and  decayed, 
And  streaming  light  through  chinks  which  time  had  made," 

she  saw  that  she  was  pausing  in  the  land  of  Beu- 
lah.  Now,  amid  the  occasional  rests  from  agony, 
she  glanced  at  the  end  of  her  journey,  and  the  lan- 
guage of  her  heart  was  thrilhng  : 

"  I'm  almost  Lome  !  my  skies  are  clear : 
The  shadowy  hills  of  blue, 
On  which  I've  pondered  many  a  year, 
Sublimely  heave  in  view. 

My  glorious  home  !    Thy  mansions  fair 

In  mystic  beauty  rise ; 
Dome  over  dome,  and  spire  on  spire, 

Are  glittering  through  the  skies. 

Immortal  home  !    Thy  holy  song 

Floats  over  warbling  streams ; 
And  angel  watchers  still  prolong 

The  murmur  through  my  dreams." 

Around  her  bedside  stood  her  husband,  her  inti- 
mate friends,  her  classmates,  and  neighbors.  In 
silence  anon  they  wept  her  near  departure,  or  gave 

from  the  same  bitter  cup.     May  God  sustain  him  in  his  great  afflic- 
tion, is  the  earnest  prayer  of  our  heart.  E.  Stevenson. 
Nashville,  Auffust  27,  1856. 

P.  S. — A  well-written  biographical  sketch  of  this  exc-ellent  lady, 
if  brought  out  in  a  permanent  form,  would  be  the  instrument  of  ac- 
complishing much  good.  Who  that  knew  her  well,  and  rightly  ap- 
preciated her  worth,  will  undertake  the  work  ? 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  183 

utterance  to  sobs  and  groans.     That  she  must  die 
was  too  soon  a  well-known  truth,  and  all  felt  anx- 
ious to  know  or  witness  the  triumph  of  one  so  long 
a  useful  Christian.     There  were,  however,  no  ex-- 
traordinary  manifestations  of  victory.  Her  strength 
was  firm,  her  faith  unshaken,  and  her  hope  secure. 
Fler  peace  was  as  a  river,  and  her  departure  a  sohd 
t^ictory  over  death  and  sin.  Her  testimony  for  Christ 
had  been  a  good  life,  and  extraordinary  manifesta- 
tions of  salvation  were  reserved  till  she  should  pass 
the  gates  of  light,  and  receive  "  the  administration 
of  an  abundant  entrance  into  the  everlastinsr  kinsr- 
dom  of  God  her  Saviour."     Her  prostration  by 
disease  prevented  her  seeing  many  friends,  or  con- 
versing much  with  any  one ;  yet  so  far  as  she  did 
express  her  feelings,  they  afforded  strong  consola- 
tion.    Her  pastor  visited  her  frequently,  and  Mrs. 
Higgins  and  Mrs.  Kennard  were  with   her  very 
often.     To  ]\[rs.  Kennard  she  said,  "  I  have  been 
reviewing  the  past,  and  though  I  know  I  have  been 
an  unworthy,  slothful  Christian,  yet  I  have  not  a 
doubt  of  ray  acceptance  with  God  through   the 
atonement." 

She  was  in  the  habit  of  having  a  loaf  of  bread 
baked,  and  sent  regularly  to  an  aged  servant  of 
God ;  and  a  day  or  two  previous  to  her  death,  Mrs. 
Kennard  observed  to  her,  that  notwithstanding  her 
sufferings,  she  had  not  forgotten  to  send  Miss 


184  LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON. 

her  loaf.  Siiid  she,  "  No ;  the  Lord  never  forgot 
me,  and  I  will  try  and  not  forget  his  poor." 

To  a  dear  unconverted  friend  she  said,  "  0  what 
should  I  now  do  in  my  prostrate  condition  had  I 
put  off  my  soul's  salvation  to  this  deathbed  !  My 
peace,  blessed  be  the  Saviour's  name,  has  long  been 
made  with  God,  and  I  now  have  nothing  to  do  but 
wait  his  summons  to  call  me  to  himself.  0,  my 
dear  friend,  seek  the  Lord  while  in  health  :  delay 
it  not  to  a  dying-hour." 

"A  few  hours  before  her  death  she  became 
speechless ;  but  a  calm,  peaceful  frame  pervaded 
her  whole  spirit — then  died  Mrs.  Sarah  Norton, 
very  remarkable  in  life  and  in  death  for  her  simple, 
strong,  and  inflexible  faith  in  her  adorable  Sa- 
viour."* Mortality  has  its  woes ;  but  the  rest  of 
immortality  meets  the  pious  at  the  dying-hour  : 

"Now  just  at  home,  the  fauning  wings 
Of  breezy  incense  play, 
Softer  than  pleasure's  music  brings, 
And  charms  the  soul  away." 

In  her  departure  the  aged  and  poor  have  lost  a 
ministering  angel  of  love.  They  mourn  for  her  as 
for  a  friend  whose  charity  never  failed,  whose  pre- 
sence was  light,  whose  voice  was  music,  and  whose 
heart  was  compassion.  At  her  footsteps  the  blos- 
soms of  hope  revived  among  the  disconsolate  :  by 

*  Extract  from  a  letter  of  W.  King. 


LIFE    OF    MRS.   NORTON^  185 

her  the  sick  were  -vdsited,  the  naked  clothed,  and 
the  hungry  refreshed.  Imbued  with  the  spirit  of 
her  Master,  she  strove  to  follow  his  example,  and 
has  arisen  from  the  Olivet  of  peace  to  behold  his 
face  on  the  mount  of  God.  Who  will  succeed  to 
her  ministry  ?  Who  will  send  bread  to  the  poor 
she  can  feed  no  longer  ? 

Her  church  will  miss  her  when  they  meet  to 
worship  in  the  class,  the  prayer-meeting,  and  the 
congregation.  Memory  will  regret  that  she  is  no 
more ;  and  in  many  an  eye,  turned  to  the  seat  she 
filled,  will  the  gathering  tear  speak  of  the  fond  af- 
fection in  which  she  was  held.  The  aged  will  be- 
hold her  in  the  skies,  and  long  to  be  with  her  in 
the  courts  above ;  and  youth  will  hear  of  her  vir- 
tues, to  be  inspired  with  the  spirit  of  kindness. 
The  ministers  who  knew  her  will  visit  Lexington, 
and  remember  her  hospitable  home,  and  feel  sad  at 
the  loss  of  such  a  friend  to  the  Church  and  to  hu- 
manity. What  Methodist  that  knew  her  well  ever 
thinks  of  her  city  without  beholding  her  in  fancy, 
or  viewing  her  by  faith  in  the  house  above  ?  Often 
as  they  retrace  her  old  paths,  will  the  forms  and 
voices  of  others  suggest  her  presence,  and  reveries 
of  the  past  will  be  dissolved  in  pain  as  many  awake 
to  the  sad  realization  that  she  is  in  the  tomb. 

Her  friends  will  visit  her  dwelling,  and  be  re- 
minded that  she  is  not  there.    The  associations  of 


186  LIFE    OF     MRS.    NORTON. 

lier  presence  linger  in  all  the  walks  of  her  abode, 
and  drape  the  trees,  and  shrubs,  and  flowers  so 
sedulously  nourished  by  her  care ;  but  they  live 
only  to  cast  a  sombre  shade  over  the  hearts  of  those 
who  loved  her  and  shared  her  affection.  Will  they 
behold  her  again?  Will  they  walk  with  her  in 
white  ?  Will  they  share  a  mutual  mansion  in  the 
paradise  of  God  ?  Many  of  her  admirers  are  in 
the  walks  of  affluence,  surrounded  by  temptations 
to  disclaim  a  life  of  piety  and  active  benevolence ; 
but  in  her  they  have  an  example  that  the  rich  may 
be  pious  and  eminently  useful,  and  reach  the  eter- 
nal world  with  joy. 

Mrs.  Norton  may  be  dead,  but  her  life  is  left  be- 
hind her,  speaking  softly  to  the  young  and  the 
gay  to  embrace  religion  in  youth,  and  live  for  hea- 
ven. She  may  be  dead,  yet,  standing  by  her  grave, 
we  feel  as  if  among  angels  who  come  to  guard  her 
sweet  repose.  Her  lips  are  silent,  and  her  eye 
has  lost  its  lustre,  but  we  hear  her  voice  sounding 
from  the  excellent  glory,  and  exchange  glances,  as 
she  looks  down  from  the  windows  of  heaven.  As 
the  star  is  hidden  from  common  sight  by  the 
brightness  of  the  sun,  so  she  is  not  dead,  though 
departed:  beyond  the  firmament  she  is  radiant 
with  life :  she  is  "not  lost,  but  only  hidden  by  the 
glory  that  enfeebles  the  eyes  of  mortals  by  its 
blinding  splendor.   Ages  may  roll  on  over  her  dust, 


LIFE    OF    MRS.    NORTON.  187 

and  the  heavens  may  flood  the  earth  with  showers 
of  desolation,  but  the  last  thunder  of  the  curse  will 
at  length  hush  its  moan  in  the  clang  of  the  trum- 
pet that  shall  proclaim  the  release  from  the  sepul- 
chre. Then  on  the  universal  horizon  shall  appear 
the  panorama  of  angels,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
shall  liijhten  the  skies.  Then  immortal  frao;rance  will 
breathe  destruction  to  the  pestilence.  Disease  will 
sicken  and  die.  The  simple  voice  that  hushed  the 
seas  will  send  its  melody  into  the  ear  of  the  Chris- 
tian. The  living  and  the  dead  will  be  transformed 
and  live.  Then  will  the  familiar  fjice  and  voice  of 
our  sister  again  greet  us.  We  will  witness  her 
coronation,  and  once  more  familiarly  visit  her  man- 
sion, and  unite  with  her  in  ascribing  glory  and  do- 
minion to  God  and  the  Lamb  for  ever.  Amen. 


THE     END. 


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